Daijiworld Media Network - Colombo
Colombo, Feb 11: Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq grabbed headlines for his unusual bowling action during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash against the USA, even as he starred with the ball, taking three crucial wickets to lead Pakistan to a 32-run victory.
The mystery spinner’s visible arm bend and slight pause in his run-up drew social media scrutiny, with some accusing him of chucking. However, former India spinner R Ashwin defended Tariq, noting that legality can only be assessed at an ICC-approved bowling action testing centre. Ashwin added that the 15-degree elbow rule is nearly impossible to judge in real-time on the field and cautioned against accusations based on grey areas.
In the match at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club, Sahibzada Farhan’s blistering 73 at the top of the order, combined with a steady bowling performance, propelled Pakistan to 190/9. USA struggled to chase the target, finishing at 158/8, despite notable contributions from Shayan Jahangir and Shubham Ranjane.
Tariq’s performance and the ensuing debate over his action have now become the talking point of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign.