Sad I could not bowl to Sachin: Yusuf Abdulla

Yusuf Abdulla tells DNA that his aim is to play for Kings XI Punjab next year also.

You bowled a very good final over against Mumbai Indians.
I’m happy that I lived up to the expectations. The captain told me that he was backing me to deliver the goods. My plan was to mix fast balls with slower ones. Duminy’s wicket was off a slower ball. It was a total team effort as every bowler did well.

Was the crowd support anyway helpful?
It was great to be bowling in front of my people. The Durban crowd was behind me and it was of great help.

Do you think a win of that kind will inspire the team?
It’s early days still in the tournament but we are now confident of making it to the semifinal. If we reach the final, there is nothing like it. We have a great bunch of players in Irfan, Yuvi, Sangakkara and Mahela.

What can you take from the match?
It was a great feeling to be playing with Sachin Tendulkar. He is a legend. I’m sad that I did not have a chance to bowl to him but.

All left-arm pacers — Zaheer, Nehra, Kamran, Irfan, RP, Nannes, yourself — seem to be doing well.
I can’t comment about others because they are big stars. I’m concentrating on my strength which is to swing the ball and bowl it with pace.

Have you set any goals for yourself?
Obviously I want to seal my place in the Kings XI Punjab team. My aim is to get picked for the side next year as well.

How did the IPL break come about?
I was one of the three leading wicket-takers in domestic cricket for the last three years. I would have played in the Champions T20 league. That helped me in getting my international break. I have the best economy rate in domestic cricket. I got the break when Jerome Taylor got injured.

How has the experience been to play for an Indian team?
There are so many international cricketers around that it has become quite a learning experience for me. I’m trying to make most out of it.

Who are your favourite batsmen and bowlers?
Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs are the two batsmen I look up to. But the most difficult batsmen to bowl to I think is Virender Sehwag.

Whose wicket do you value the most?
Kevin Pietersen. He is one of the best batsmen in the world.

Tell us something about you.
My ancestors come from Surat. I was born in Johannesburg and moved to Dundee which is in the north of Durban. I studied there and I was selected for a coaching clinic. The coaches said I can become a cricketer and I was taken in an academy in Pietermaritzburg. I played for Nashua Dolphins, I played for South Africa ‘A’ and then for my country. Now I’m with Kings XI Punjab. I love Bollywood movies and my favourite star is Preity Zinta. I’m single and looking for a good-looking Indian girl.

Have you been to India before?
Yeah. I have been to Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Mumbai, Delhi, Dharamshala and a few other places. I love to visit India.