By Brandon Corlette
Age is just a number, they say. The 44-year-old Imran Tahir is living testimony to that, as he became the oldest captain to win a T20 trophy in franchise T20 cricket.
Before Tahir, Indian legend MS Dhoni and Pakistan great Misbah-ul-Haq won T20 titles at 41-years-old.
Tahir created history, being the first captain to lead the Guyana Amazon Warriors to a Caribbean Premier League championship. The Pakistani-born leg-spinner, who played international cricket for South Africa, was emotional after the victory at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence.
The passion in which Tahir played with all season, and his reaction after the victory, would suggest, Tahir was born in Guyana.
Prior to the start of CPL 2023, more than 50% of Guyanese cricket fans had question marks about Tahir’s appointment as captain of the Warriors. He had replaced Guyanese son of the soil, Shimron Hetmyer.
As per norm, social media reacted to the news more negatively than positively. Fans around the world laughed at Tahir’s appointment as captain, and he even said it at the post match, where he broke down in tears.
Tahir said he used the negative comments as motivation.
“I’m just grateful to the almighty first of all. Coming into the competition, everyone was sending jokes that I had become a captain, so I think actually those things motivated me, so I actually want to thank those people who said that, and I also want to thank my family, all the players’ families, they’ve been on the road with us. It’s been a great journey, very special journey.”
Covering CPL 2023 at first hand as a journalist, I recognized the passion and commitment of Tahir the captain. He even thought outside the box as captain, where he decided to go against his team’s strength against St Lucia Kings, and lost the match. Tahir said it was all about trying something different as a team and learning from that. And boy, did the Warriors learn from that.
Additionally, Tahir was in agreement of exposing young players, with Kevlon Anderson playing, Shamar Joseph being seen in the nets and getting an opportunity to be drafted in the squad to play. Everything that Tahir did, turned into gold.
While some captains motivate the players and fail to perform as an individual player, Tahir conquered it all. He finished the 2023 CPL with 18 wickets, the second most in the tournament.
During this season, when Tahir has ball in hand, it was almost certain that he will produce and start running around the ground as a teenager in celebratory mode.
At every post match, or most of them, Tahir always had a message for the fans of Guyana.
“It’s been a great experience playing for this beautiful franchise and playing for these beautiful people who always come and support us,” Tahir said.
Tahir, who played with Indian top off-spinner Ravi Ashwin at Chennai Super Kings, also expressed gratitude to his fellow spinner.
“Also want to thank our analyst Prasanna [Agoram] – he’s been working every day, 20 hours a day, and giving me all the plans. I’m really, really grateful to him, and also want to thank Ashwin from India. He said before the competition that we will do it.”
I think this year we were more hungry than ever before,” Tahir said.
“Result is never guaranteed, but the way we came back in the competition, and I said one thing before we came here [for the final] – ‘we’ve been the best team in the competition, no one can stop us if we play the brand of cricket we’ve been playing,” Tahir said.
When will Tahir retire? Not anytime soon he says
“Look, Imran Tahir will retire when he wants to retire. I am enjoying my cricket I want to play as long as I can. I do not want to go away from this beautiful game. It came late to me and I have to pay the respect, and as long I am doing well, I want to play. When I decide I am not good enough, then I will retire,” Tahir said.
Well as Guyanese would say in the end, give Tahir a house and land in Guyana, and even a barrel of oil.