Is Usman Tariq chucking? Pak bowler's action creates stir, India players in debate
India Today
ICC T20 World Cup: Does Usman Tariq chuck the ball? The question has been floated quite a few times over the last couple of months. In the latest iteration of the debate, former India cricketers Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreevats Goswami engaged in a heated debate on social media over the spinner's action.
Is your social media feed absolutely plastered with clips of Usman Tariq's bowling action? Honestly, same here. The Pakistani off-spinner has been dominating the timeline as much as he's been dominating the crease, with that blink-and-you'll-miss-it delivery style sparking just as much chat as his wicket tally.
It has even kicked off a proper war of words between former Indian cricketers Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreevats Goswami. The pair got into a right old heated debate on X (formerly Twitter) over Tariq's round-arm technique. The scrutiny has been relentless over the last couple of months, mostly down to his noticeably bent arm and that agonisingly long pause he takes right before he lets the ball fly.
But let's be fair – it's his sheer ruthlessness in T20Is that's really got everyone talking.
The man is on an absolute tear, having bagged at least one wicket in each of his last 23 outings. That is one seriously enviable streak. With the blockbuster clash against India looming this Sunday in Colombo, he is being touted as the biggest threat to the Men in Blue. He has already made a habit of bamboozling batters who usually fancy themselves as spin-specialists, leaving them looking quite ordinary with a bewildering array of variations.
Usually, if you're an off-spinner, a doosra might probably be your ace up the sleeve, isn't it? Well, Usman Tariq isn't satisfied with just one. He's actually got multiple types of googlies in his locker, which feels a bit like bringing a cannon to a knife fight. Screengrab from JioHotstar
Shreevats Goswami, a former Bengal and Royal Challengers Bangalore player, publicly called out Tariq’s action during Pakistan's win over the USA in their T20 World Cup match in Colomb. In a scathing post on X, Goswami criticised the prolonged pause in Tariq’s run-up and questioned its legality, drawing a comparison with football penalty rules.
Anil Kumble believes Kolkata Knight Riders weakened their own title-winning core by releasing Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt after their 2024 triumph. The former India captain criticised the franchise's inconsistent retention strategy.
Rohit Sharma believes India's recent success in ICC tournaments could be the start of a strong phase for the national teams. The India captain praised both men's and women's teams and hopes the winning run continues.
Suryakumar Yadav revealed how a phone call and a little faith helped Ishan Kishan stage a sensational comeback, earning him a spot in India's Men's T20 World Cup squad. Kishan capitalised on the opportunity, scoring 317 runs in nine matches.
Indian cricketer Kuldeep Yadav married his childhood friend, Vanshika Singh, on March 14 in a grand ceremony held in Mussoorie. The celebrations were even more special for Kuldeep, coming shortly after India's T20 World Cup 2026 triumph.
AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan says the federation replaced the Indian women's team's ill-fitting AFC Women's Asian Cup kits within seven hours, but the effort went unrecognised.
Pakistan national selector Aaqib Javed believes that the country and the country's cricket board need to move on from scapegoating culture to move forward in international cricket.
Speaking at the India Today Conclave in New Delhi, Abhishek Sharma revealed how his father and family helped him overcome a difficult T20 World Cup campaign, during which he battled poor form before scoring a match-winning 18-ball fifty in the final against New Zealand.
Kevin Pietersen has stepped down as Delhi Capitals mentor ahead of IPL 2026, saying he could not commit the time required, though he confirmed he will return to the commentary box during the tournament.
The PCB has denied reports that Pakistan players were fined PKR 5 million each for their T20 World Cup exit, with spokesperson Amir Mir clarifying that no penalties have been imposed, though the board is considering a performance-based accountability formula.
Salman Ali Agha has been given a reprimand and a demerit point following his outburst after the controversial run out during the second ODI against Bangladesh on Friday, March 13.
On this day on March 14, 2001, India overcame a massive first-innings deficit to script a remarkable 171-run victory against Australia in the 2001 Kolkata Test, powered by the record-breaking partnership of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman and a dominant display by Harbhajan Singh on the final day.
Rahul Dravid, Roger Binny and Mithali Raj headline the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 in New Delhi, as Indian cricket celebrates its legends and a historic run of ICC trophy wins.