Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has criticized the scrutiny of mystery spinner Usman Tariq’s bowling action, insisting that the off-spinner has already been tested and approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC). With the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 match now firmly on track, Agha said it was time for the buzz around Tariq’s event to die down.
After days when the instrument was briefly clouded by out-of-field noise, the marquee clash will finally go ahead as planned in Colombo on February 15. As the hype grew, much of the focus was on Usman Tariq’s unorthodox pace and how the Indian batsmen would handle it in Premadas.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Agha said Pakistan was undeterred and stressed that Tariq’s act had already been cleared by the ICC.
“The ICC tested him and cleared him twice. I don’t know what the fuss is about,” Agha said.
“Anyway, it doesn’t bother him too much because his action has been talked about since he started playing, so he’s used to it,” he added.
The Pakistan captain also played down the idea of picking Tariq as Pakistan’s only trump card against India while acknowledging that the spinner is doing his job well.
“For us all players are equal. You made Usman Tariq so great. He played well. You can call him our trump card if you want,” he added.
While Pakistan have a strong supporting cast in the likes of Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub alongside Tariq, India are equally well stocked with their own arsenal in Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. With both sides loaded in the spin department, the encounter in Colombo is shaping up to be a contest that could end which set of spinners has the last word.
WHAT IS THE FAILURE IN USMAN TARIQ’S BOWLING ACTION?
Usman Tariq’s action was a talking point long before the start of the T20 World Cup. His hypermobile elbow, which prevents him from fully straightening, has even drawn comparisons to Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan.
However, the real discomfort for batsmen comes less from the action and more from the rhythm. Tariq’s diagonal approach, followed by a deliberate pause in the groove, creates an awkward stop-start sequence that can completely throw off a batter’s timing.
While some former players supported the 30-year-old’s technique, some argued otherwise. Regardless of the noise, his involvement in the showdown in Colombo will be one that every cricket fan will be on the lookout for.
CAN USMAN TARIQ THREAT INDIA IN COLOMBO?
India may have started their title defense with two wins from two, but their spin uneasiness was evident. The American spinners struck three times, Namibia added five more and there were stretches when India’s batting looked more tense than loose.
Usman Tariq offers exactly such a window to Pakistan. It’s not just another mite in the attack, it’s rhythm. His pause at the crease, awkward angles along with a mixture of carrom balls, sliding arms in the sleeves can leave batsmen scrambling before the ball even arrives.
Tariq missed Pakistan’s opener against the Netherlands, but soon after he announced himself with a three-wicket haul against the USA, showing that he is already in form and chasing wickets.
With Premadasa expected to clamp down as the match goes on, Tariq’s stop-start enigma could become Pakistan’s sharpest weapon in the high-pressure clash on February 15.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 14, 2026