Pakistan’s Usman Tariq celebrates after taking the wicket of Reezy Hendricks of South Africa during the third T20 cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/KM Chaudary) New Delhi: It was 2017. Haseeb ur Rahman vividly remembers the night he and his cousin Usman Tariq had dinner and watched MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, a biopic on the former Indian captain. That night changed Tariq’s life forever. After watching the film, he decided to pursue his true passion, cricket, and left Dubai for the second time to make a name for himself.“After watching a film of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he got motivated. He was moved by how Dhoni worked as a ticket collector while juggling his dream of playing cricket for India with his job. Usman was moved by the scene when Dhoni was sitting on a bench on the platform, it started to rain and he then ran and caught a train to go home and give cricket faith to take his picture.Bro, my scene is here too.“ (My case is also quite similar),” Haseeb ur Rahman tells TimesofIndia.com from Dubai.
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Haseeb says what he saw in Usman’s eyes that day made him believe the boy was destined for greater things.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!“There was a stubbornness in his eyes, a passion, you could say it was madness. (There was a stubborn determination in his eyes, a burning obsession, one might even call it madness),” Haseeb says with a lump in his throat.Usman followed his call and left Dubai for the second time, this time with a purpose. Success did not come immediately. He had to work hard and one fine day his bowling video went viral on social media.
Young Usman Tariq (left) with his elder (far right) and cousin Haseeb ur Rahman in the middle. (Special arrangement)
“He joined a cricket academy in Nowshera, which is about 30 kilometers from our village Charsadda. Usman used to bowl to Pakistan cricketer Iftikhar Ahmed and one fine day his bowling video went viral,” says Haseeb.“He became a celebrity. People started calling him to play matches for their clubs. They paid him between Rs 500 and Rs 1,500. The money helped him with fuel,” laughs Haseeb.“Then I think he got an offer from the US. He played for a small club there. He also played in the Karachi Premier League where he caught everyone’s attention. Then came the PSL, followed by the CPL, the Pakistan national team and now the ILT20,” he adds.The club matches that Usman played would not have been possible without Haseeb sending him money to buy a bike.
Haseeb ur Rahman (left) and Usman Tariq (far right) in their village of Charsadda in Peshawar (special arrangement)
“He used to walk kilometers to matches. I asked him to buy a bike. It was a gift from me, but after that it was up to Usman to take care of him. I was doing my job like an elder brother,” says Haseeb.
Slicing onions, surviving the Kabul winter
Before watching MS Dhoni’s biopic, moving back to Pakistan and finally in the national colours, Usman’s journey was a long one.Usman lost his father very early, and being the eldest in the family, he already worked as a teenager and became the sole breadwinner of the family.“It was in 2007 when his father died. The family was under financial pressure,” recalls Haseeb. “He moved to Dubai when he was just a teenager. He worked in a hotel and his job was to cut onions. He did it for several weeks. It was hard work and it took its toll on him. One day he texted me and said he had to stand all day and his back hurt. After resigning, he returned to Peshawar,” recalls Haseeb.
I told my boss in Kabul to give Usman a job instead and pay him by reducing my salary, but he shouldn’t find out. At least he would have peace of mind. That didn’t work either
Haseeb ur Rahman, brother of Usman Tariq
At the time, Haseeb was working with an NGO in Kabul, Afghanistan.“I asked him to come to Kabul. He landed in winter. The temperature was minus 10 degrees. In Kabul at night it drops to minus 15 degrees.”“I asked my bosses to help me find him a job. But. When you’re unlucky, there’s nothing you can do. (If you’re not lucky, you can’t do anything). My boss didn’t give me a positive answer,” he says.Haseeb even went to the director of his NGO and offered him a pay cut.“I told him,”You are doing this work and giving me this money by cutting my salary, but I don’t want to know about it.” (Give him a job instead and pay him by cutting my salary, but he shouldn’t know). At least he’d have peace of mind. That didn’t work out either.
Pakistan’s Usman Tariq bowls during the second T20 cricket match between Pakistan and Australia, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/KM Chaudary)
“We tried hard, despite the security situation in Kabul. He stayed with me for three weeks. When it started snowing, the back pain got worse. I advised him to go back to Peshawar because he would not survive the Kabul winter,” says Haseeb.
Back in Dubai
Usman did odd jobs in Islamabad for three years. In 2016, when Haseeb moved from Kabul to Dubai, his younger brother followed him. But it wasn’t easy because accommodation in Dubai is very expensive and Usman was left without a job in a labor camp, sharing a room with 20 others.“I didn’t have a job and neither did he. I was staying in a friend’s flat in Dubai while he was in a labor camp in Sonapur. He shared a room with 20 people,” recalls Haseeb.
Usman was staying in a labor camp in Sonapur, Dubai. He shared a room with 20 people
Haseeb ur Rahman, cousin of Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq
“One day I invited him. He had come all the way from Sonapur. Living in a labor camp is hard and I could see he was not well. I asked him to spend the night at my friend’s place without asking permission. I will never forget the happiness in his eyes,” says Haseeb.After finding a job as a logistics officer in a supply company, the juggling of life, cricket and work continued.Another life-changing moment arrived at Usman’s door in October 2016 when the pair went on a Peshawar Zalmi talent hunt in Dubai.
Pakistan’s Usman Tariq celebrates after taking the wicket of Reezy Hendricks of South Africa during the third T20 cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/KM Chaudary)
“Those they found interesting were asked to bowl more. When Usman bowled, they were amazed. He was asked to bowl six balls. I thought they would sign him, but they didn’t offer him a contract,” says Haseeb, who was also the first to suggest Usman bowl when he went to a street cricket match played near the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Palm Deira on Sunday.“He switched to spin bowling in this tournament and made an immediate impact,” says Haseeb.A week later, Zalmi called him to come back to Pakistan to play matches.“He couldn’t afford to lose his job and said no to Zalmi. He was in tears that day,” recalls Haseeb.
Debate on a bowling action
Recently, Usman was in news for his bowling action.During the T20I series against Australia, Cameron Green exasperatedly mimicked his act, accusing the Pakistan spinner of chucking. The same thing happened during the ILT20 in Abu Dhabi where England batsman Tom Banton made a similar throwdown gesture.
There is a pause in Usman Tariq’s action which is allowed by law. Its action is unusual and unique, with some variations. Ultimately, the decision on its legality rests with the ICC, referees and match officials.
R Ashwin, former Indian cricketer
Former India spinner R Ashwin also made a low-key dig. “There is a pause in Usman Tariq’s action, which is legally allowed. His act is unusual and unique, with some variations. Ultimately, the decision on its legality rests with the ICC, the umpires and the umpires,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.But Usman found support in former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja. “There aren’t 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,” Khawaja said on Instagram.
Pakistan’s Usman Tariq bowls during the third T20 cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/KM Chaudary)
At Pakistan’s pre-match press conference in Colombo, Salman Ali Agha also spoke in support of his player.“I don’t understand why we’re talking about his actions. In my opinion, it’s fair action. He’s been tested twice and he’s proven it. He has to finally hang a notice around his neck that he’s in the clear,” Agha said.
Mental toughness
Amidst all the hype surrounding his bowling action, Haseeb says Usman remains undeterred and credits his mental toughness.“He jokes about it,” says Haseeb. “He says he doesn’t care. He smiles sarcastically and says they don’t know he’s passed the ICC test twice.”The more hate spreads, the more famous I am.(The more hate they spread, the more famous I am.)
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What inspired Usman Tariq to take up cricket?
Recalling the time they spent together in Dubai and Kabul, Haseeb says that Usman often told him:Brother, I am not made for this life 9:5. (I’m not built for a nine-to-five life).Like Dhoni, whose batting and possession technique and long hair once led many to doubt, Usman realized after watching the biopic that he would have to do something special at the World Cup. He wants to be known for his goal scoring ability rather than his catchy act.
