"I see my role as helping people to understand a bit more about Islam. The image of people who look like me in the media - Muslim men with beards - often isn't positive. If I can change that a bit, and if I can show people - not just Muslims - that you can make it in cricket, whatever your race or religion, then I'll be satisfied with my career. You think it seems mature because you look at society and young men are not behaving in a mature way. But isn't this - raising a family, working hard, trying to be a role model - the way it should be? So yes, I see myself as a role model. And as a role model, I have to behave in a certain way. Do I see it as a mission? Yes, I do."

Playing cricket might seem a trivial pastime for a man with such grand ambitions. "But it's the only skill I have," he says. "If I could build houses, I'd try and help people that way. If I was a lawyer, I'd use my skills that way. But the only thing I've ever been good at is cricket."

"Do you know what would make me happier than anything? I'd like to be a caller of prayer in the mosque and I'd like to clean the toilets. I've played a lot of cricket. I've been very lucky. At some stage, I'd like to give something back. I'd like to spend time with people and look after them a bit more. I think that would make me very happy."

From thecricketmonthly dot com