Imran Tahir may be approaching his 47th birthday in a couple of months’ time, but the veteran leg-spinner has lost none of his passion for success.
Having only had limited game time during the group stages of Betway SA20 Season 4, Tahir burst into action in Joburg Super Kings’ final match against Paarl Royals.
Tahir claimed 2/17 to out spin the Royals on their own patch and drive the Super Kings to the qualifiers where they will face the self-same opposition at Centurion on Thursday (5:30pm start).
“Yeah, look it’s been a tough season personally for me,” Tahir said.
“I haven’t had an opportunity. It’s a sad thing, because obviously it’s our own league, SA20, and when you come here and have done what you’ve done for the country in the last two years in SA20, so yeah, there is a lot to prove again.
“I’m just happy. I played my part and helped the team where we are.”
South Africa’s most successful white-ball spinner ever has had to play second fiddle to Prenelan Subrayen and West Indian left-arm spinner Akeal Hosain in the competition thus far. But although he is disappointed not to have had much gametime, he has still in typical Tahir fashion, been helping the JSK spinners behind the scenes.
“He (Subrayen) played more games obviously than I do and then he’s been bowling fantastically well,” Tahir said.
“I’m really really happy for him. And we have Akeal on the other side. That’s where opportunity presents for the youngsters. Obviously, this is the platform to show the world what this team is all about. And I think the guys showed character to play the way they did.”
Despite sneaking into the playoffs as the last team to qualify, Tahir believes the momentum is now with the Super Kings.
“Obviously going forward and play against them again, yeah, look you always have to believe that you can go all the way and that’s why we’re playing this game,” he said.
“We need to take one game at a time. It is a tough one. We should have qualified for number one; number two, but obviously, you know, that’s how the game goes. But yeah, we really motivated now.”
