As the countdown to the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 begins, the excitement is already touching the roof. While Team India will enter the tournament as defending champions, there are a few more top-notch teams with some of the best talents in their ranks. Pakistan, whose participation continues to remain in jeopardy, have named a competitive squad with the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and a few others in its ranks. Apart from these regulars, the side also boasts of a 28-year-old mystery spinner – Usman Tariq. The new face of the Pakistan cricket team has been in the news after fans accused him of his unique bowling action.
While he is not the first Pakistan bowler to grab headlines for this reason, the 28-year-old has been cleared of these allegations by the International Cricket Council (ICC). While he continues to be a threat, he is more in talks as Pakistan are set to take on arch-rivals India in the days to come. A X user called him a “certified chucker”, a few others spoke of his threat to the Indian side, claiming that he cannot be “disguised”.
Who is Usman Tariq? Here is all you need to know:
- Full name: Usman Tariq
- Date of Birth: January 1, 1998
- Age: 28 years
- Playing Role: Bowler
- Batting style: Right hand bat
- Bowling style: Right arm offbreak
- Teams: Pakistan, Desert Vipers, Quetta Gladiators, Trinbago Knight Riders, Deccan Gladiators, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 2nd XI
While the mystery spinner remains clear of any suspicion by the apex cricket council, he first came into the limelight with his exceptional performance with the ball in the T20I tri-series involving Zimbabwe. Soon after making his debut, Tariq stole the show with his hat-trick against Zimbabwe. While he made his T20 debut for Peshawar in National T20 Cup in November 2023, his PSL 2024 wasn’t a remarkable one. However, he returned to the circuit after a tremendous performance in the 2024-25 domestic season, picking 22 wickets in 15 matches.
As he now finds himself in the Pakistani squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, he remains a key bowler who hasn’t bowled against a top-quality side. Moreover, his bowling action is what keeps him apart from the rest, after being reported twice for his action. Fun fact: Tariq chose cricket as a profession after being inspired by MS Dhoni’s biopic.
Usman Tariq T20I Career Stats
| Format | Mat | Ovs | Wickets | BBI | Avg | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20Is | 2 | 8.0 | 6 | 4/18 | 7.33 | 5.50 |
| T20 | 38 | 149.4 | 59 | 4/17 | 17.44 | 6.87 |
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