Profile
Usman has showed some sparkling form this summer in the Sheffield Shield, scoring 1 hundred and 5 fifites for Queensland. He also took a wicket in the CA Chairman's XI against Sri Lanka in Canberra. His good form in Australia came off the back of consitant batting performances for Derbyshire in county cricket in the winter of 2012.
Before his switch from New South Wales to Queensland, Usman toured with the Australian Test team to South Africa and Sri Lanka and while the impressive demeamour remained, a defining innings in the Baggy Green remained elusive.
He scored a timely century in a tour match in Sri Lanka to hold his place for the first and second Tests of that series, but was squeezed out for the third when Ponting returned after the birth of his daughter. An injury to Shaun Marsh paved the way for his return for the second Test against South Africa in Johannesburg, in which he scored a calm 65 as part of an important partnership with Ricky Ponting in the second innings.
Born in Islamabad, Pakistan, his family moved to Sydney when he was a boy and he is the first Muslim to represent Australia. Made his debut at the SCG for the final Test of the Ashes summer, and on a rain-affected first day represented a bright light amid the gloom for Australia. Made a composed 37 at No.3 in place of the injured Ricky Ponting but kicked himself for getting out with miscued sweep shot against England off-spinner Graeme Swann. Away from cricket, Usman also has a bachelor of aviation and a commercial pilot’s licence.
