Multan Sultans’ Usman Khan has only played six games, this PSL, but boasts half the centuries scored this tournament – two out of four. He’s played just six games and yet only trails Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in the run charts, and is one of Sultans’ key players ahead of the PSL final on Monday. ESPNcricinfo spoke to him about breaking through, his stunning form, and, of course, that move from Pakistan to the UAE.
I’ve played the PSL for three years but haven’t had the chance to get an extended run. So whenever I play, I keep in mind that this may well be my last match. That’s the mentality I bring to my game, that if I don’t perform here, I might not get the next game. That probably means I have intensity every time I bat.
I belong to a village in Sheikhupura called Farooqabad. My region was Sialkot, and when I watched the players there I thought I wouldn’t get an opportunity there. My brother advised me to move to Karachi where I’d get a lot more opportunities. I moved to Karachi in 2012, where I worked extremely hard to make my name. I played for Pakistan cricket club where Saifibhai [Sarfaraz Ahmed] was my captain. I performed but couldn’t get an opportunity to play for my district.
When I got a chance to keep and open, I topped the charts, and then enjoyed success in Ramzan Cricket, where I had the chance to make my name. I scored a number of hundreds there, and played a tournament at the Moin Khan academy, where I won the Player of the Tournament award, and Nadeem Omar drafted me into the PSL.
I always had aspirations to play for Pakistan. But I also thought if someone else had nailed a place as opener at the top of the order for 4-5 years, I’d be wasting my time. That was also the case with the Karachi side, so I moved to the UAE. I performed well there, and was the Player of the Tournament in the T10. When you’re a UAE player, you can play the Canada league or other such leagues, you get opportunities as an Associate cricketer more easily.
But after making the switch to the UAE, I thought I wouldn’t be picked in the PSL because I’m now an overseas cricketer. I never thought I’d enjoy the success I have now.
That first innings in the PSL was significant for me to become popular and get name recognition. After that, I didn’t get a shot in the PSL in 2022, but I didn’t get disheartened. I tried to continue my cricket in Dubai. In Dubai, most of the tournaments that happen are on TV. I try to perform on TV so people watch me. I have the flashy shots as well as a proper playing style. And if you perform on TV where you’re visible you get an opportunity somewhere or other.
I played for a season in the UAE in 2021. At the time I wasn’t made any promises by the UAE about becoming a national cricketer for them. But when I scored the fastest hundred in the PSL last year, they said we’ll give you a contract if you play for the UAE as a local player. I agreed. That allows me to play the ILT20 and the T10 as a local player which opens doors. I was in the central contract list for the UAE. That means you need an NOC from your board to play overseas cricket. And the UAE grants that easily, so I play wherever I get an offer.
In Pakistan, lobbying and contacts make a huge difference to how many opportunities you get and how early you get them. The cricket I’ve played, I’ve played on merit, I don’t have any such connections. In Pakistan, if someone powerful speaks up for you, you’re much more likely to come to prominence. I don’t think you get an opportunity early on in Pakistan despite performances unless you have someone influential to speak for you or a group who stands up for you. Otherwise you won’t get chances.
