Usman Tariq has become the talk of the town ahead of the much-awaited clash between India and Pakistan in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026. This Pakistani spinner is making headlines not for his performance but because of his unconventional bowling action.
His pause-and-sling bowling action has been inviting a lot of controversies for quite some time now. Just before the ball is released, Usman Tariq makes a dramatic pause at the crease and this usually breaks the batsman’s rhythm. After this he releases the ball from multiple release points which makes things even more difficult for the batsmen. The 28-year-old player has already been reported twice for his action, but was cleared both times by Pakistani cricket authorities.
Also read: India vs Pakistan: Moeen Ali drops spin bomb on Salman Ali Aga & Co before T20 World Cup clash
Your daily dose of cricket!
Just before the World Cup, when Pakistan hosted Australia for the T20 series, Cameron Green was seen expressing his displeasure over the spinner’s bowling action after his dismissal. As India gets ready to face Pakistan, many believe that Usman Tariq’s strange bowling action could play a decisive role in the match.
Suryakumar Yadav on Usman Tariq:
On the eve of the mega clash in Colombo, India captain Suryakumar Yadav was asked about Usman Tariq’s bowling while he was addressing the media. In response, the right-handed batsman did not question the Pakistani spinner’s action but called it unique. Suryakumar also made it clear that he and his teammates are preparing to deal with Tariq’s bowling.
He said, “There will be some questions which will be outside the syllabus. We will not give up on that. Usman is unique and we will not surrender to him. We are practicing for him.”
India and Pakistan would like to continue the unbeaten streak:
Both India and Pakistan have started their campaign with two wins and will be keen to carry forward the winning streak. India had defeated America by 29 runs in their first match of the tournament and then defeated Namibia by 93 runs earlier this week.
Pakistan, on the other hand, started their campaign with a weak 3-wicket win over the Netherlands before defeating the United States by 32 runs. India and Pakistan currently occupy the top two positions in the points table and Pakistan is ahead in terms of net run-rate.
First meeting after Asia Cup:
The upcoming match will be the first clash between India and Pakistan since the Asia Cup last year. They played three matches in that competition and India emerged victorious on all three occasions. India will start the upcoming match as favourites, although Pakistan is capable of springing a surprise or two. The winner of the match between India and Pakistan will be assured of a place in the Super 8.
Also Read: Suryakumar Yadav beats Abhishek Sharma vs Pakistan on Salman Ali Aga’s request
