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Home › Teams › World XI › Players › Imran Tahir

Imran Tahir

Full Name
Mohammad Imran Tahir
Born
27-03-1979 Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Current Age
41 years old
Major Teams
South Africa, World XI, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, Rising Pune Supergiant
Batting Style
Right-hand bat
Bowling Style
Leg-break googly
Imran Tahir

Photos: Imran Tahir

  • IN PICS: ICC World Cup 2019, South Africa vs Bangladesh, Match 5

    IN PICS: ICC World Cup 2019, South Africa vs Bangladesh, Match 5

  • IN PICS: ICC World Cup 2019, England vs South Africa, Match 1

    IN PICS: ICC World Cup 2019, England vs South Africa, Match 1

  • In Pics: IPL 2019, Final: MI vs CSK

    In Pics: IPL 2019, Final: MI vs CSK

  • In Pics: IPL 2019, Qualifier 2: CSK vs DC

    In Pics: IPL 2019, Qualifier 2: CSK vs DC

Videos: Imran Tahir

  • Imran Tahir has been an asset to South Africa in the last two years: Faf du Plessis

    Imran Tahir has been an asset to South Africa in the last two years: Faf du Plessis

  • Video: Mumbai Indians edge out Chennai Super Kings to clinch record 4th IPL title

    Video: Mumbai Indians edge out Chennai Super Kings to clinch record 4th IPL title

  • IPL 2019, Qualifier 2 Preview: Delhi Capitals square off against Chennai Super Kings for a place in maiden final

    IPL 2019, Qualifier 2 Preview: Delhi Capitals square off against Chennai Super Kings for a place in maiden final

  • IPL 2019 Qualifier 1: Suryakumar Yadav takes MI to fifth IPL final

    IPL 2019 Qualifier 1: Suryakumar Yadav takes MI to fifth IPL final

Imran Tahir Biography

If you want a modern-day fairytale, look no further than Imran Tahir. He did not hail from a rich family, and had to work as a retail salesman in Pace Shopping Mall, Lahore. However, he did persist with cricket: inspired and coached by Abdul Qadir, he took to leg-spin, and made it to the Pakistan Under-19s squad for the 1996-97 tour of South Africa. He fell in love with one Sumayya Dildar there.

He played domestic cricket in Pakistan till the mid-2000s before having stints with both Middlesex and Yorkshire. He later played for Warwickshire and Hampshire as well. In between all this, he moved to South Africa and completed his four-year residence requirement in 2009, thus becoming eligible to represent the country — and married Sumayya.

He eventually made his debut in the 2011 World Cup, and from the very onset it was evident that he was special. He had a potent leg-break, had variations in pace and flight, but his most dangerous weapon was almost certainly the googly.

He lived up to his hype as a mystery spinner, taking 11 wickets from his first 3 matches. Unlike some others who bore that tag, Tahir retained that aura, troubling batsmen across the world with his incredible repertoire.

His most significant spell was his 4 for 45 in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final that knocked Sri Lanka out of the tournament. It was the first time in their history that South Africa won a knockout match in tournament. His World Cup record, 29 wickets from 13 matches at 16.31 and an economy of 4.06, bears testimony to his impact on the batsmen.

The next year he took 7 for 45 against West Indies at Basseterre, becoming the first South African to take 7 wickets in an ODI. These days he typically bowls the middle overs, putting a stranglehold on batsmen just when they decide to focus on singles.

He has spectacular T20I numbers too. Just like ODIs, he has reserved his best for the grand stage: from: his 9 World T20 appearances have fetched him 18 wickets at less than 12, and he goes for under 6 an over.

It took him six years since debut to zoom to ICC’s No. 1-ranked spot for bowlers in both ODIs and T20Is. He achieved the latter with 5 for 24 against New Zealand at Auckland in 2016-17, becoming the first South African spinner to take 5 wickets in a T20I.

His superlative performances won him plenty of offers from T20 overseas franchises, including three English counties, two IPL teams, and perhaps the sweetest of all — Lahore Lions, from the city of his birth.

Tahir has also attained cult status of sorts with his unique celebrations that involves running with a mission to perhaps reach the end of the world (thankfully, his colleagues prevent him every time), a quirk that gave rise to several internet memes. Despite his idiosyncrasies and the aggression of a fast bowler, Tahir remains an immensely popular man.

Perhaps the only glitch in his career has been his inability to eplicate his superlative limited-overs performances in Test cricket. He did have his moments (5 for 32 and 3 for 98 against Pakistan at Dubai in 2013-14, 2 for 23 and 4 for 48 at Mohali and 1 for 41 and 5 for 38 at Nagpur, both against India in 2015-16), but consistency has remained evasive.

Abhishek Mukherjee

Imran Tahir Batting & Fielding Averages

Career M In R NO HS Avg BF SR 100s 50s 4s 6s Ct St
Test 20 23 130 9 29* 9.285 235 55.31 0 0 18 1 8 0
ODIs 107 36 157 16 29* 7.850 225 69.77 0 0 21 1 25 0
T20s 38 4 19 3 9* 19.00 18 105.5 0 0 1 1 7 0
World Cup 22 8 20 4 10* 5.000 34 58.82 0 0 1 0 6 0

Imran Tahir Bowling Averages

Career M B R W Avg EC SR 5WI 10WM BBI BBM
Test 20 3925 2294 57 40.24 3.506 68. 2 0 5/23 8/130
ODIs 107 5541 4297 173 24.83 4.653 32.02 3 0 4/12 4/12
T20s 38 845 948 63 15.04 6.731 13.41 2 0 2/12 2/13
World Cup 22 1151 847 40 21.17 4.415 28.77 1 -- 4/41 4/12

Imran Tahir Career statistics

Test Debut

South Africa v Australia at Newlands, Cape Town, November 9, 2011

Last Test

India v South Africa at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi, December 3, 2015

ODI Debut

South Africa v West Indies at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi, February 24, 2011

Last ODI

Australia v South Africa at Old Trafford, Manchester, July 6, 2019

T20 Debut

Sri Lanka v South Africa at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, August 2, 2013

Last T20

South Africa v Sri Lanka at Newlands, Cape Town, March 19, 2019

News ON Imran Tahir

IPL 2021: Suresh Raina to Harbhajan Singh, Players Chennai Super Kings (CSK) May Release Ahead of Mega Auctions

CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan and skipper MS Dhoni have made it clear that he will continue to lead the franchise.

‘Quite Nervous And Did Not Know How to React’: Imran Tahir Recalls His First Meeting With MS Dhoni

Apart from being a quality spinner, Tahir has endeared himself to fans across the world with his free-spirited celebrations every time ...

Proteas Spinner Imran Tahir ‘Disappointed’ Not to Represent Pakistan in International Cricket

Tahir, who lived in Lahore till 2005, advanced through the ranks of age-group cricket, also broke into the Pakistan U-19 side and ...

Imran Tahir Heaps Praise on MS Dhoni, Says My Son Will Relish The Time He Spent With CSK Skipper After Growing up

Tahir, the winner of the purple cap (prize for highest wicket-taker in IPL) in 2019 season, said the family atmosphere in the CSK camp ...

Dale Steyn Pips Imran Tahir to Become South Africa’s Leading Wicket-Taker in T20I Cricket

Steyn got the wicket of England's Jos Buttler in 1st T20I and in the process surpassed former leg-spinner Imran Tahir's tally of 61.

Bowlers like me “spoil the party” for batsmen in T20s: Tabraiz Shamsi

Shamsi feels that T20 is a batsman's game in which bowlers like him "spoil the party".

More News on Imran Tahir

Features ON Imran Tahir

    Cricket World Cup 2019 Team review: Big guns misfire as South Africa come a cropper

    In a down and out situation that South Africa find themselves in right now, there could be no other than Faf du Plessis himself to sail ...

    Cricket World Cup: Crocked South Africa have run out of luck, but are we surprised?

    The South African team has lurched from defeat to defeat, their weaknesses clearly visible.

    Cricket World Cup 2019: Spinners who can play a pivotal role

    Cricket World Cup 2019: Top five spinners who can play a pivotal role for their respective teams in the showpiece event.

    IPL 2019 team review: Beyond MS Dhoni and Imran Tahir, not enough firepower for Chennai Super Kings

    As Dhoni and Fleming pointed out during and after IPL 2019, CSK needs to re-think certain strategies.

    IPL 2019: Alzarri Joseph leads the top-five bowling spells

    There were several memorable spells across the season. We have picked the top-five

    IPL 2019, Qualifier 2 Preview: Can Delhi Capitals tame CSK to enter maiden IPL final?

    It was CSK, who denied DC a top-two spot in the league standing with a crushing 80-run win at the Chepauk, but this time DC might just ...

    More Features on Imran Tahir


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