Player Watch: Imran Tahir 2011/12 Season | Views: 56235

The Pakistan born South African will be a key part of South Africa’s plans against Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the forthcoming season. 

Considered by many experts and pundits as the best leg spinner in the world which I would no doubt agree with. It’s an exceptional circumstance with him as he was unable to play on the international scene due to problems with qualification, changing citizenship as well as being over looked back home in the sub continent too unfairly in many ways. Nonetheless, he is a quality product who has proven his class as a champion bowler all over the globe for many teams in many domestic tournaments coming up against some top class players and bamboozling them with his variations. Rated highly by the likes of Qadir and Shane Warne as the best in the business during the current era. He was that good that he was selected for South Africa in their WC campaign when previously he wasn’t even a capped player, at the last minute and replaced a player who was previously named in the squad. That’s how confident they were in his abilities and oh boy he didn’t fail to live up to expectations capturing 14 wickets in his first 5 international outings including 11 in his first 3 at one point which was some kind of record. He was always bound to perform well at the international scene and it came as no surprise. Now that his qualification is completed he should be debuting in tests and perhaps even 20/20s as well. 

I predict he will end up with at least 200 internationals scalps under his belt minimum.He has over 500 FC wickets. He’s no new kid on the block. He has been capturing the attention where ever he has played with resounding success. In all honesty he was probably the most dangerous and feared leggie worldwide way before his first cap for SA at all major levels with his skill level, stats etc. Unfortunately he had to wait a long time for his cap, but nevertheless he would have turned the tables in a game context and run through sides had he been playing. If you have followed the guy as closely as I have live you will know the destruction he is capable of causing and that too in pressure games in front of the cameras against players who have played international cricket, the deliveries he is able to bowl and the impact he can create. There are very few who are up to his level nowadays. Plus he played an instrumental part to winning the one day cup in the county arena for Hampshire and Warwickshire in 2009 and 2010. 

He’s an animated character, fierce competitor and skilful bowler with a vicious googly, sharp flipper, and reliable control. He’s always fired up for the challenge. He celebrates each wicket as if it’s his last. He goes berserk. He’s an attacking option. South Africa has a dream mouth watering option up their sleeve which they have struggled to produce in their own circuit. This type of spinner is what they have always lacked, not anymore.