Learning things from Abdul Qadir was an experience in itself, says Mushtaq Ahmed

09/08/2019

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Former Pakistan spinner Mushtaq Ahmed has said that he remembers the late Abdul Qadir as not just an exceptional cricketer, but also a great human being who always spoke his mind. Tributes have poured in after Pakistan’s legendary spinner’s passing, with Saqlain Mushtaq also sharing his thoughts.

Aspiring to become an Abdul Qadir, a young and affable Mushtaq spent hours with the senior — Qadir — to master the art of leg-spin.

“He had a lot of variations and used his arm perfectly. Learning things from him was an experience in itself. He would always tell me that a leg-spinner should never be afraid of conceding runs, but the main objective should be to pick wickets. I listened to his advice and that helped me in the longer run. In cricket, a spinner can’t afford to get scared if a batsman goes after him. He has to wait for the opportunity and go for the kill,” Mushtaq told Sportstar from Lahore, late on Saturday.

Although he is yet to come to terms with the fact that Qadir is no more, the 49-year-old Mushtaq believes that the world will also remember him as a ‘great human being’.

“He made it a point to help out the poor people and despite achieving so much, he never forgot his roots. He didn’t leave the environment he grew up in. That’s something unbelievable,” Mushtaq said.

In 1989, when Mushtaq debuted for Pakistan in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Sharjah, Qadir would spend hours with him in training to boost his confidence. After Qadir’s exit from the national team, the onus was on Mushtaq to step up as the key spinner.

“He told me that I am a match-winner and I should have belief in myself. I still remember how his talks would inspire all of us. He had offers from County cricket, but he turned them down. I asked him why he didn't play County cricket and he said that he did not want to reveal the art of leg-spin to the world and it was only meant for Pakistan. That was Qadir bhai. An exceptional cricketer and a human being, who always spoke his mind," he added.

Meanwhile, another spin ace from Pakistan – Saqlain Mushtaq – reminisces how he would skip school to watch Qadir play local matches in Lahore.

“He was a magician. Everybody would speak about him when we were growing up. He was a superstar and as a young cricketer, I dreamed of becoming like Qadir someday… He was our inspiration. He was always ready to help and his understanding of the game was so good that he knew exactly how to trick a batsman. He had an eye for details and his suggestions helped me better doosra,” Saqlain said.

Indeed, it was Qadir who noticed him bowling at the nets during U-19 trials and told the selectors that Saqlain would go the distance.

“He told some of the selectors that I would go far. That made him special -- he could spot talents,” Saqlain added.