Bilal Qureshi joined Hawkesbury Cricket Club at the start of the 2019/20 after playing for a number of clubs in NSW Premier Cricket.
Bilal has played first class cricket in Pakistan as a top order batsman and this season he donned the wicket keeping gloves for first grade
Let’s find out more about Bilal and his journey
What year you were born?
1985. Woah.
If you can share with our readers how you would describe yourself as a cricketer?
I’ve always been an opening batsman, and with the evolution of white-ball cricket even more so. I have bowled a lot of medium-pace throughout and most recently have been wicket-keeping full time in the season just gone for Hawkesbury. Was lucky enough to have kept in some List-A and T20 cricket overseas (Pakistan, West Indies & USA).
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket so far?
Making my first-class debut in Pakistan (2014), and a very close second was when I scored 208 not out in NSW Premier Cricket for Blacktown in 2nd Grade against Gordon a few seasons ago, and then my first T20 hundred in the US Open (Miami) in 2018.
At what age did you make your first grade debut?
19
Who’s your favourite all-time cricketer?
Younus Khan
Bilal and Younus Khan
Who is the fastest bowler you’ve played against?
Mohammed Sami, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul
Who is the best spinner you’ve played against?
Yasir Shah, Abdur Rehman
Yasir Shah
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Younus Khan in a first-class fixture scored 127 not out and I was playing in the opposing team. Firstly it was dream come true to be on the same field as him, and secondly just to see him go about his business, nimble on his feet, hands so sure, head so still – and many times from catching positions was just a treat and something I will never forget.
I have also witnessed an amazing 275 not out from Kamran Akmal in a first-class fixture while playing on the same team. Another double – 201 by Fawad Alam in another first-class fixture which I was lucky enough to bat with him in and share the crease, and very recently watched Shane Watson pummelling 101 not out off 72 balls in a 2-day NSW Premier Cricket 1st grade match in the opposing team.
Last, but not least I played in the same team as Shivnarine Chanderpaul when he scored an unbeaten 200 in a T20 match in the West Indies when we played for the Combine Islands.
Who are the two players in NSW Premier Cricket you’ve come to admire most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Lachie Shaw – young, very talented and always plays with a smile on his face.
Scott Copperfield – being a tearaway fast bowler and through injury transforming himself into a consistently scoring batsman is quite an achievement.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan’s current keeper) – played multiple times in the domestic circuit and I remember a particular season where we weren’t able to get him out under 100 including a 200 he scored in the QAE Trophy Final, his agility behind the stumps was exceptional.
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
Peter Forrest – we had a great time as a team and group of guys because of his relaxed and results oriented approach. We also won the Sydney Thunder Conference in the Kingsgrove T20 Cup and travelled to Adelaide for the National Premier T20 tournament.
Which singer/band would you like to see perform live?
Maroon 5.
Who’s the king of selfies at your club?
Probably me, and Nazir Shinwari.
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
Oh boy, I have heard lots of banter, some of it very disappointing especially being told to go back and play in Pakistan, but some good times with Hawkesbury and chief instigator Scott Baldwin...some real rubbish but helps to get through long days!
Who’s been the biggest influence on your career so far?
A group of very close friends and family, currently we play winter cricket together and are known as ‘Beamers’, we have a very long history and close bond, and have played some form of cricket whether it be indoor or outdoor for close to 20 years.
Where do you find inspiration that gets you through challenging times?
Family and close friends – I don’t have to go far to see that cricket isn’t everything and that life is beautiful, but it is also a vehicle to connect with people and see the world, which I have been lucky to do. I’ve played in many parts of the world and some of the most unlikeliest of places like Miami, Florida or Jakarta, Indonesia.
Who are the three people in the world you’d love to have a chat to in person?
Mohammed Ali, Michael Jackson, Robin Willliams.
What do you like to do to relax outside cricket?
I play indoor cricket, and I play winter cricket, but outside of that I like to travel, and I like to spend time with my kids, they both are very sporty, and inevitably we end up playing cricket or soccer.
What is your occupation?
I am the Head of PMO for an AI organisation called Appen. I also am a coffee blogger (@coffee_addict_007).
Do you have a favourite quote?
“What you seek is seeking you” – Rumi.
Can we ask, what would did it mean to you to play first class cricket?
It means a lot, I am lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to do so, I played underage NSW, but then shifted my focus to playing in Pakistan and debuted for National Bank of Pakistan in Peshawar, a ground famous for Mark Taylor’s 334* against Pakistan.
Made some amazing friends and memories along the way as well as exploring parts of the world I never would have otherwise.
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