Cameron Greene’s angry reaction to Usman Tariq (Screengrabs) NEW DELHI: Former Australia batsman Usman Khawaja has publicly come out in support of Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq after controversy erupted during the second T20I between Australia and Pakistan last week. The trouble started when Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, after getting to Tariq, was seen on live television to make a gesture that many viewers interpreted as indicating a “drop”.
Former captain Rashid Latif on Pakistan boycotting India T20 World Cup match
The clip quickly went viral and sparked a heated debate on social media. Usman Tariq, 28, has faced scrutiny over his bowling action in the past. His action was reported twice during the Pakistan Super League, but both times he was cleared after official testing. Despite this, Green’s gesture reopened the debate, with opinions sharply divided online. Khawaja, who retired from international cricket after the fifth Ashes Test in January 2026, stepped in to defend the Pakistan spinner. In Instagram Stories, he urged fans to show restraint and empathy. “There are not many things worse than being called a chucker in cricket. The stigma is real. The man is doing the best he can and has been cleared twice. Let’s have some perspective and understanding and stop jumping to conclusions,” he wrote. Tariq himself had previously explained the reason behind his act. He said the biological condition of his elbow makes it difficult to fully straighten the arm, which can sometimes look misleading to viewers. “I have two horns on my elbow which makes it difficult for me to straighten. This is causing confusion for the audience. I have undergone two tests in laboratories in Pakistan. My act has been approved,” said Tariq. He added: “I was confident in my act because I know I’m not throwing.” On the field, Tariq performed solidly. He took figures of 2/16 in his solitary T20I appearance against Australia. He is part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad and is expected to play a key role when the tournament begins on February 7 against the Netherlands. Pakistan recently swept a depleted Australian side 3-0 in the T20I series, after which both teams traveled to the World Cup in Sri Lanka, putting the controversy behind them, but the debate lives on.
