“We obviously know a bit about Usama, firstly as a great human being, but also an absolute master at his craft as a leg spinner who can spin it both ways and a bit of a lower order hitter at the bottom for us.
“Although I don’t know Sikandar personally, he is good friends with Usama, and his credentials speak for themself really.
“He is someone who is always in the game and always wants those pressure moments, and that is exactly what you want in T20 cricket.
“For the boys to be sharing the dressing room with guys of that calibre, and for myself to be around them, is very valuable.”
Before a ball has been bowled, the pre-tournament chatter surrounds the favourites, the ones to watch, the wildcard picks and the hotly anticipated derby day clashes.
Despite his obvious desire to lift the trophy at Finals Day on the 18th of July, for Worcestershire’s talisman, it is imperative to keep both feet on the ground and cross each bridge as it comes, starting with Friday’s assignment at Leicestershire.
“We have played at that ground quite a bit, so we know what to expect in that sense, but ultimately, we have to play what is in front of us. We go there with plenty of confidence and hope to get a win to start the campaign.
“But if that isn’t the case, we can’t wait to get back here and play in front of a home crowd. They are like a 12th man to us, and we can’t wait to put on a show for them.
“As a player, you always look to those big dates in the calendar, and normally it is the first match and then the Bears game, which is always a pretty tantalising prospect and a great spectacle to be involved in.”
“You always want to be challenging for those big trophies and competing, but if you look too far ahead, you lose track of where your feet are in the present, and you will come unstuck.
“It is all eyes on Friday and performing, we won’t be looking any further ahead than that really.”