'I want to finish matches at every level' - Pakistan's UAE import Usman Khan is World Cup ready

Usman Khan, the UAE cricketer who switched to Pakistan in 2024, believes that solid preparation, helmed by head coach Mike Hesson, gives Pakistan a good chance of lifting the T20 World Cup early next year.

"Our coach Mike Hesson has prepared us quite well ahead of the World Cup," Usman told ESPNcricinfo on the sidelines of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), where he is representing Dhaka Capitals. "We will play Sri Lanka and Australia in the coming month to prepare for the World Cup. We want to do well in Sri Lanka. We have a great combination in the team, so we have a good chance to win the World Cup."

Usman, the 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, will join the Pakistan squad in Sri Lanka, where they will play a three-match T20I series in Dambulla, starting January 7. Pakistan have already played 34 T20Is in 2025, the most among the teams participating in the T20 World Cup. Usman played only nine of those games, but all of the fixtures during the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at home in November, and scored a couple of 30s, raising hopes of being in the World Cup squad, which hasn't been named yet.

Pakistan will play all their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka, starting with all four of their Group A matches at the two venues in Colombo. Their Super Eights matches will also be held in Sri Lanka, in Colombo and Kandy.

"I am heading to Sri Lanka for the first time. We will be playing in Dambulla. It will be a good opportunity to understand their wickets ahead of the World Cup in Sri Lanka," Usman said. "We played in similar surfaces in the last tri-series. I am preparing myself for that type of wicket, and how to handle fast bowling. We want to win the series in Sri Lanka.

"Playing cricket in Bangladesh is certainly going to help me, especially with the different types of conditions. The Sylhet and Chittagong wickets are fantastic, but the wickets in Dhaka are often up and down for the first few overs."

Usman is a BPL regular, having turned out for Chattogram Challengers and Chittagong Kings in previous seasons. In the 2024-25 season, playing for Kings, he scored 285 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 167.64, and in 2023 he scored 296 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 134.54 for Challengers. That included a century.

"I have been playing BPL for the last few seasons," he said. "The team management has been quite supportive. The crowds are always good. I know the players here. With so much support, it gives you more confidence to do well."

Prior to the BPL, Usman struck an unbeaten 159 in the President's Cup (List A) tournament in Pakistan. He also made two half-centuries in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan's first-class tournament, in November.

"The PCB takes note of performances in the BPL, PSL and domestic tournaments. I have come here having played the domestic competitions in Pakistan. I played in two tournaments, including the President's Cup, where I played six matches," Usman said. "It has held me in good stead for the national call-up. I have given a lot of time to fitness and my wicketkeeping. I have been regularly playing domestic cricket too."

And he is happy with the way he has been going, trying to bat deep and become a specialist finisher.

"I have played a lot of cricket under [Mohammad] Rizwan bhai, Saifi bhai [Sarfaraz Ahmed] and Babar [Azam] bhai. They are known to build their innings. After that, they make it hard for bowlers to get them out, and it helps them to take the innings deep. I have tried to emulate that concept at all levels," Usman said. "I want to build an innings so that I don't get out around the halfway point of [an] innings. I want to finish matches at every level. I want to go back to the dressing room after winning the game."

Usman made headlines in 2023 when he gave up a chance to play for UAE, which he had been trying to do since moving to Ajman in 2020, and decided to switch allegiance to Pakistan. He was slapped with a ban by the Emirates Cricket Board, but said he didn't have any problems with the decision he made.

"I have played a lot of cricket for the UAE. I had a central contract with their cricket board. When Pakistan offered me to play for them, it was the fulfilment of my lifelong dream," he said. "I think every child who wants to grow up to be a cricketer, wants to play for Pakistan or Bangladesh, or whichever country they represent.

"I have played for UAE but Pakistan is my first choice. Pakistan is my country and my people. I thank Allah that I am getting the opportunity to play for Pakistan."