Born on March 27, 1979, in Lahore, Imran Tahir‘s path to international cricket was anything but ordinary. Despite honing his skills in Pakistan, he ended up representing South Africa in 20 Tests, 107 ODIs, and 38 T20Is—a twist of fate that changed his life forever.
Tahir expressed deep gratitude to PCB and domestic teams, recalling how Shahid Butt discovered him while he worked at a shop. Rising through U19 and first-class cricket, he earned a central contract but felt sidelined in white-ball formats, leaving his future in Pakistan uncertain.
His move to South Africa was purely accidental. While visiting for his wedding, ex-Pakistan coach Richard Pybus spotted him bowling and instantly offered a contract. Tahir signed it, balancing his cricketing dreams with personal commitments. Looking back, he calls it destiny, thankful for the journey that made him a global cricketing star.