Usman Tariq, a controversial Pakistani spinner, will feature in the India vs. Pakistan match in Colombo on February 15 as an x-factor. Despite questions about his bowling action, he has been continuously playing for the national side, playing with effectiveness.
Like other teams Pakistan has faced in the recent past in the T20Is, Indian batters will have overcome the hurdle named Usman Tariq. As the bowler has the clearance from the International Cricket Council (ICC), Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha will try to utilize the bowler’s full 4-over quota.
Suryakumar Yadav mimics the bowling action of Usman Tariq
To be prepared for the spinner, Indian batters spent some extra time in the nets. Ahead of the match, a video, shared on the social media platform ‘X,’ captured how Abhishek Sharma is preparing to take on Tariq.
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In the nets, India captain Suryakumar Yadav was performing as the blower, copying the bowling action of Tariq, against Abhishek Sharma. From the video, it is clearly seen now that Yadav is bowling like the controversial Pakistani spinner. After a small run-up, Suryakumar paused a little bit and then released the ball.
In a recent video, former Indian international Ravichandran Ashwin put a focus on Tariq’s unusual bowling action. The former cricketer said that bowling actions can be different, but Usman Tariq’s case is different. Ashwin also said that if the batters felt that the bowler stopped for a while before delivering the ball, then the batter could make an appeal to the umpire.
CAPTAIN SURYA BOWLING LIKE USMAN TARIQ…!!!
– SKY giving important practice to Abhishek Sharma. 👌 pic.twitter.com/dZqGP26IT3
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 14, 2026
Yadav said how they prepared themselves to face the spinner
During the pre-match conference, the India captain, for obvious reasons, was asked about the spinner. The leader of the Men in Blue stated that sometimes a question can be on the question paper but not from the syllabus. But it is their duty to confront every challenge, as they can’t leave anything untouched.
“See, sometimes there is a question in the exam as well, which is out of syllabus. So, we can’t leave that question. To tackle that, you have to adopt your own way. Yes, he is a different character when he comes to bowl,” Yadav said in the press conference.
He also revealed that they have been preparing to face Usman Tariq. They are preparing with similar types of bowlers and similar actions to keep themselves ready to face him during the match.
“But at the same time, we can’t just surrender. We practice with similar types of bowlers and similar actions. We will try to execute what we are practicing in the next sessions,” he added.
Recent bowling stats of Tariq
In the last 5 matches, Usman Tariq captured a total of 14 wickets, which is proof of how effectively he has been bowling.
In those five matches, he got 5 wickets for the Pakistan cricket team—2 against Australia and 3 against the United States.
