RAWALPINDI: Right-handed opening batter Usman Khan, a part of Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, opened up about the struggles, he faced in his career.
Hailing from Farooqabad, Usman initially moved to Sheikupura before settling in Karachi, with the hope that his talents would be better acknowledged and his career would develop.
“My brother was a first-class cricketer and played for The Karachi Port Trust (KPT). I also played for them and in my early stages of the career where I would stay in a complex and carry on with my cricket duties,” shared Usman in a video released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Despite striving hard in the metropolitan city and participation in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the right-handed batter could not make ends meet and thus opted to relocate to Ajman, United Arab Emirates (UAE), move Ajman (UAE) where he could work and play cricket.
“I worked as a labourer at Ajman Gas while continuing to play cricket. The support from the owner was instrumental in our team winning numerous local tournaments,” shared Usman.
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The turning point of Usman Khan’s career came in 2022 when he became the local player of the T10 league and subsequently came under the radar of Andy Flower.
“Andy Flower saw me in T10 and on the basis of performances there, I played in Multan Sultans as a local player in PSL 2023.
Usman was then contracted with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and represented Sultans as a foreign player.
Following the conclusion of the PSL 2024, Usman Khan was approached by the PCB to consider representing his homeland.
He opted to pursue his childhood dream and was subsequently named in the Pakistan squad for the New Zealand series.
As a result, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) slapped a five-year ban on Usman over “breaching his obligations” owed to the cricketing body.
The sanction imposed will prohibit Usman from participating in any ECB tournaments for the next five years.
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