'This game has given me so much, so I keep reminding myself that I need to show the world what the game has given to me, and I have to give it back to the game.'
Imran Tahir is a player who has an abundance of energy that defies his age.
His bowling is a treat to watch, not just how he traps batters with his leg-spin and googly deliveries, but also in how he celebrates every moment on the field.
No wonder, even at 46, he is still playing in professional leagues around the world, and that the game has given him an extended stay.
Although he has officially retired only from One Day International cricket after the 2019 World Cup, he is busier than all those who had played with him.
He participates in almost all premier T20 and T10 leagues around the world -- proving that there is no expiry date for a passionate cricketer.
Tahir's boundless enthusiasm can be spotted only in very few other cricketers.
So what is it that drives this person who wears his heart on his sleeve every time he takes the field?
An evening with Tahir during the launch of the Dubai Shipping Trophy 2025 on October 25, where he was the chief guest, gave me the opportunity. He was seated on a sofa with his wife when I approached him for a chat.
The first thing he did wasn't to talk about cricket -- it was to offer me a cushion similar to the one he was leaning on, so that I am as comfortable as he was.
That small gesture said everything about his humility. It's a quality that stood out, especially in contrast to some players who carry a 'nose-in-the-air' attitude despite achieving far less than him.
With a combined tally of 293 wickets across Tests, ODIs, and T20 Internationals, Tahir's career speaks louder than any swagger ever could.
Tahir has come up the hard way.
Born in Lahore, he was the eldest sibling and worked from the age of 16 as a retail salesman to support his family until he got picked for the Pakistan Under-19 team and then went on to play county cricket in England.
From there, he moved to South Africa, toiling hard for five years playing domestic cricket, and eventually getting picked for the South African national team.
His journey from the shop floor to the world stage is one of grit and grace.
His rise wasn't meteoric; it was earned through sheer sweat and stubborn will.
Tahir gracefully accepted the invitation to be the chief guest at the Dubai Shipping Trophy 2025 launch function due to Aman Maulvi, the director of this tournament and of Inter Globe Marine (IGM), who used to often invite him to play domestic tournaments in the UAE for IGM.
When our conversation turned to his seemingly endless energy, Tahir smiled and said: "My energy is nothing but my passion and respect for the game. This game has given me so much, so I keep reminding myself that I need to show the world what the game has given to me, and I have to give it back to the game. That is what keeps me going, and that is where my energy comes from."
Watching him up close, it's easy to see why he's still so driven. He looks absolutely fit and trim.
Sporting a flowing long hair, he gives the look of a saint.
What is the secret of his fitness and longevity in the game?
Does he do anything special, or is it a process?
Without hesitation, he said: "It is a process, and it is not a one-year effort. As I am still playing competitive cricket all over the world, no one is going to give me a job if I am not good enough. For that, I have to be very disciplined, look after myself, and train well."
Though Tahir has nothing to prove, he continues to work hard.
"Before I go for a competition, I train for one or two months on the things I have been doing the whole year and stay fresh, making sure I stay away from injuries as well."
When asked about his new flowing hairstyle, Tahir said: "It gives me a good feel. Even in Islam, it says you have to dress well and look good. Allah has given me these opportunities, and I try to stay with the times, especially with what the time demands."
Tahir is among the most sought-after match-winners since it is not only his googlies but also his sliders and ripping leg breaks that have often deceived the best of batters.
Who is the best batter he has bowled to in his career? Without batting an eyelid, he named Virat Kohli.
"I have bowled to numerous batters, and I always feel that there is a little bit of a gap that I can exploit to get them out. The difference between Virat and other players is that others will give me an opportunity when I am bowling to them, but it is very hard to get any opportunity from him because he is a complete player."
Tahir feels a bowler needs to have something more than special to get Kohli out.
"If you need to get him out, you need to be very consistent as a spinner. You need to bowl a good line all the time and make sure you don't bowl any bad balls. He is capable of hitting the good balls too. Why I say this is that whenever I have bowled to him, I find it very difficult to get him out. He gives no opportunities to trap him."
How important is it for a player to keep playing?
His answer, born out of years of experience, was: "If a person does not have feelings towards a sport, there is no point in playing any sport.
"If you are competing with anyone, it is a kind of battle, and if you need to win a battle, you have to give everything that you have in you, or else the opposition will dominate you.
"When you compete with someone or bowl to someone who is good, you have to show that you are better than him. For this, hard work and discipline are required."
Tahir celebrates taking a wicket by sprinting across the turf, arms spread with child-like delight, and hence is known as the 'marathon man.'
When asked the reason behind this celebration and whether he believes that every cricketer should have a unique style of celebration after taking a wicket, he said: "Everyone is different. That is the only way I can express myself to the world -- that I was waiting for this opportunity.
"Once I get a wicket, I want to show the world my joy through a celebration. I wanted to do this for a long time, but unfortunately, I could not get into competitive or international cricket straight away. I had to wait for long, and this is just to show the world what I am made of and what it means to me."
While having dinner seated next to him, I noticed he tasted everything but nothing in excess.
I guess that's because he has already tasted life's finest feast: The joy of cricket. Tahir stands as a reminder that age may mark the body, but passion keeps the spirit young forever.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
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