All posts tagged: Usman Tariq

Indian-owned Sunrisers Leeds sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred auction

Indian-owned Sunrisers Leeds sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed in The Hundred auction

3 min readMar 12, 2026 07:35 PM IST After much speculation about the stance of The Hundred teams owned by IPL franchises about bidding for Pakistani players in the auction, Sunrisers Leeds not only bid for leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed but also acquired his services for 190,000 pounds (approximately Rs 2.3 crore). There had been reports earlier that the teams bought by IPL franchise owners would not be bidding for Pakistani players, and developments in the early part of Thursday’s auction seemed to follow the script. Mystery spinner Usman Tariq, known for the angular approach and the long pause before delivery, was the only player from his country to find any takers. Birmingham Phoenix got him for 140,000 pounds after a brief tussle with Trent Rockets. Neither of these franchises has any IPL-owner involvement. Other Pakistani players whose names came up for bidding – Saim Ayub, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan – found no takers. But that changed when Abrar’s name came up. He entered the auction at a base price of 75,000 pounds and Sunrisers …

‘I’d bench them all’: Shahid Afridi wants Pakistan to drop Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi after India defeat | Cricket News

‘I’d bench them all’: Shahid Afridi wants Pakistan to drop Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi after India defeat | Cricket News

After Pakistan’s 61-run defeat to India in the group stage game at the ongoing T20 World Cup, Pakistan cricket legend Shahid Afridi has called for senior players like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, and Shadab Khan to be dropped from Pakistan’s final group stage game against Namibia. Thanks to the dent in net run rate from Sunday’s defeat at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Pakistan are now 3rd in the group stage standings, behind India and the USA. This means they not just need to beat Namibia in the final game, but do so with a big margin to prop up their NRR over USA’s. However, Shahid Afridi believes that Pakistan management has given enough rope to veteran players like Shaheen, Babar and Shadab. “If it were up to me to make a decision, I would drop Shaheen, Babar, and Shadab. I would bench them all,” Shahid Afridi said in a panel show for Samaa. “I’d play the new kids, give the youngsters a chance, and in this upcoming match against Namibia, I’d give them …

Suryakumar Yadav spotted copying Usman Tariq in India nets ahead of Pakistan clash in T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Suryakumar Yadav spotted copying Usman Tariq in India nets ahead of Pakistan clash in T20 World Cup | Cricket News

3 min readFeb 15, 2026 04:24 PM IST How to deal with Usman Tariq is one of the talking points that had emerged ahead of India’s T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan. It looks like captain Suryakumar Yadav had taken it upon himself to replicate the Pakistan spinner’s action for his batters to get used to. In videos that have been shared by broadcaster Star Sports in the leadup to the match, Suryakumar can be seen running in to bowl and then pausing at the release point before finally sending the ball in, like what Usman does. Suryakumar did this time and again as India looked to get used to the bowler that Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha called their “trump card”. Suryakumar also acknowledged that facing Usman will be a different kind of a challenge to anything that the Indians have experienced before. SKY’s got a new trick up his sleeve! ?? The Indian skipper’s unique style is SPOT ON against Abhishek Sharma! ?? Watch ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup ?? #INDvPAK | SUN, 15th FEB, …

Usman Tariq will be our trump card, says Pakistan captain Salman Agha ahead of India match in T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Usman Tariq will be our trump card, says Pakistan captain Salman Agha ahead of India match in T20 World Cup | Cricket News

3 min readFeb 14, 2026 03:37 PM IST Although questions rage over Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq’s bowling action, captain Salman Ali Agha has said the 30-year-old will be their trump card going into their match against India. Throwing his support behind Usman, whose action has been under debate, in particularly in India, Agha said he is unfazed about all the talk. “Every player is important to us. Usman of course has been bowling well for a while in T20 leagues and he will be our trump card. All these talks around his action doesn’t make any difference when it comes to how we see him. The guy has been cleared twice. I don’t know why people keep questioning. Also knowing him (Usman), he doesn’t care,” Agha said on the eve of the match against India. ALSO READ | This weekend, watch how cricket is vanishing from India-Pakistan cricket rivalry At the Premadasa, where the slow and big outfield has been challenging for batsmen to score, this match is expected to be one dominated by the …

‘Move away when Usman Tariq pauses’: Ashwin’s advice for Indian batsmen ahead of Pakistan clash | Cricket News

‘Move away when Usman Tariq pauses’: Ashwin’s advice for Indian batsmen ahead of Pakistan clash | Cricket News

2 min readFeb 13, 2026 04:24 PM IST Former Indian spinner R Ashwin has offered a simple piece of advice to the Indian batters who will be facing the unique side-arm action of Pakistan off-spinner Usman Tariq on Sunday in the T20 World Cup. Talking on his his Youtube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’, Ashwin said, “If he stops before delivering the ball, the batsman has the right to move away. He can say that ‘I thought he is stopping’. That will be an interesting case and a huge headache for the umpire. If I was there I would have done it. One should do everything to win a game within rules. I would simply say I don’t know when he will release the ball and I would step away. If I move away, it is the umpire’s responsibility.” The 30-year-old Tariq has created quite a stir in the four T20 Internationals he has featured in. He has taken 11 wickets at an economy of less than six runs per over. Apart from all the talk …

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha defends action of off-spinner Usman Tariq ahead of T20 WC | Cricket News

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha defends action of off-spinner Usman Tariq ahead of T20 WC | Cricket News

3 min readFeb 6, 2026 06:17 PM IST Ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup starting tomorrow, Pakistan’s skipper Salman Ali Agha defended the action of off-spinner Usman Tariq who has been in the news for his unorthodox bowling action. He called him the team’s ‘X factor’. “I don’t understand why we are talking about his action because in my opinion it is a fair action,” Salman told reporters. “He has been tested twice and he has been cleared. I think there is no problem in his action. Yes, he is the X factor of the team, and where we feel that we need an X factor, we will definitely use him.” Tariq, who has played three T20 Internationals since his debut against South Africa in November, has been reported twice for a suspected bowling action in the Pakistan Super League. The off-spinner has a very unorthodox action with him pausing near the crease before firing the ball with a side-arm sling shot action. The 28-year-old claimed two wickets in his second T20 International, against …

Spin attack could upset favorites despite India boycott

Spin attack could upset favorites despite India boycott

5 min readFeb 3, 2026 09:13 PM IST Uncertainty has long been Pakistan’s World Cup calling card. Rarely do they arrive with a clear method to disrupt one. In Lahore last week, Salman Agha’s side looked nearly set to channel momentum into the T20 World Cup, having blanked Australia 3–0 and presented a spin-heavy template. When the spotlight rests on the six-hitting frenzy in India, Pakistan could have slipped into the tournament as its on-field disruptors, armed with a diminishing T20 trait for the turners in Sri Lanka. But by announcing a boycott of India in the group stage six days out from the tournament, Pakistan embraced uncertainty again, surrendering two points. Undue pressure isn’t exactly their forte, and it remains a tough task to decipher what Pakistan could produce with their backs against the wall. Despite their vaunted pace attack at the 2022 World Cup, Pakistan faltered by one run against Zimbabwe after losing to India in the Super 12. They were in the final 15 days later. In 2024, it was an embarrassment …

Is Pakistan spinner’s bent-arm, zig-zag action with long pause legal? | Cricket News

Is Pakistan spinner’s bent-arm, zig-zag action with long pause legal? | Cricket News

The round-arm flings of Usman Tariq would tax batsmen’s eye, just as it would overwork the doubters’ fingers, furiously alternating between rewind and pause buttons. Australia all-rounder Cameron Green was left unamused when the Pakistan off-spinner ejected him in a recent T20I; he angrily mimicked the action, as if suggesting that Usman had exceeded the 15-degree bent-elbow limit permissible to bowlers. But after watching the replays, he promptly apologised to the bowler. Green, though, would not be the last batsman to trudge back wondering about the legality of Usman’s action. The action has confounded umpires. Twice he was reported during the Pakistan Super League (PSL), but cleared both times. He is tired explaining the genesis of his unusual action. “I have two elbows in my arm. My arm bends naturally. I have got this tested and cleared. Everyone feels I bend my arms and all that. My bent arm is a biological issue,” Usman explained to MYK channel. In medical lexicon, he has double-jointed elbows, which means he cannot fully straighten his arms. The great …

Usman Khawaja supports Pakistan spinner after teammate Cameron Green mocks bowler’s action | Cricket News

Usman Khawaja supports Pakistan spinner after teammate Cameron Green mocks bowler’s action | Cricket News

2 min readFeb 2, 2026 07:03 PM IST Recently retired Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has defended Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq after countryman and former teammate Cameron Green mocked the bowler for his action. Green, who was dismissed by Tariq in the second T20I international between Pakistan and Australia, was caught on cameras mimicking the action of Tariq. Tariq, who was playing in only his third ever T20I, has a unique action. Green, after being dismissed, was seen on cameras mimicking a baseball throw, similar to how Tariq’s action is. The Pakistani bowler has been accused of ‘chucking’ the ball in the past and has been cleared twice. In an Instagram post, Khawaja defended him and said, “There aren’t many things worse than being called a chucker in cricket,” he said in the post. “The stigma is real. The man is just doing his best and has been cleared twice. “Let’s have some perspective and understanding and stop jumping to conclusions,” he wrote. In the past, Tariq has tried to explain his action and said that …

Pakistan unearth new mystery spinner: Watch him stop in run-up before foxing batsmen with subtle spin | Cricket News

Karachi Kings batter Tim Seifert batting fluently on 21 was undone by a mystery delivery that he could not read by off-break bowler Usman Tariq who would pause during his action before delivering the ball similar to India’s R Ashwin. However, the latter would slip in that delivery occasionally as a variation but Tariq seems to have imbibed the pause into his action and would do every ball. In addition to Seifert Tariq would also pick James Vince who faced 21 balls for his 37 before getting bamboozled by Tariq’s ball which he tried to work on leg-side and missed and was given out LBW. The mystrey spinner in the match would end up with the figures of 2-16 from his quota of four overs. Usman Tariq’s double-strike in his first over! ⚡⚡#HBLPSL9 | #KhulKeKhel | #KKvQG pic.twitter.com/2MJ4Khoksf — PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 29, 2024 Misbah-ul-Haq on reasons why playing Taqir is difficult “He (Taqir) has a carrom ball and on top of that, he is accurate. The spin is so subtle that it is just …