Cameron Green (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)

Mumbai: Over the years, the IPL has seen various top buys burdened by the pressure of their high price tags. In 2014, it was Yuvraj Singh, bought by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for Rs 14 crore, while in 2025, it was Rishabh Pant, purchased by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 27 crore, who both seemed weighed down by their massive auction prices. There have been many others as well. In that context, there is genuine concern that the latest in the list could be Australian allrounder Cameron Green, who was picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping Rs 25.20 crore in the IPL mini-auction in November last year. However, ahead of his team’s opening match of IPL-2026 against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday night, KKR assistant coach and former Australian allrounder Shane Watson asserted that Green will not be weighed down by his high price tag, pointing out that the Australian allrounder prefers to play with absolute freedom. “I’ve seen players in the past who’ve had a high price tag on them. I’ve seen them crumble in the past; that wave of expectations really suffocated their ability to perform at their best,” Watson told reporters on Saturday, ahead of KKR’s training at the Wankhede Stadium. Watson reminded that Green had been bought by Mumbai Indians and later traded to RCB for a big price and performed fairly well in the past. “Cameron certainly doesn’t see it that way. We’ve seen with him when he got picked up to play here at MI a couple of years ago for a pretty decent amount of money (Green first played the IPL in 2023, when MI bought him for INR 17.5 crore), he had a very good season (he scored 452 runs at a strike rate of 160.28 and picked up six wickets). That is his mindset when it comes to the IPL—that he’s got nothing to lose,” Watson said. “Obviously, that’s what people are willing to pay for him, but he’s there to be as free as he can, be at his very best, and we’ve seen how that has been very beneficial for his performances in the IPL over the last couple of seasons. If you’ve seen the way he’s trained over the last couple of weeks, I don’t think in any way that his performance will be suffocated by that price tag, because he’s very free and excited about being able to be free in the middle as well,” he explained. Watson said joining KKR had been “very exciting” for him, especially because of the opportunity to work closely with Green. “There are a number of exciting things about me coming to KKR. One of the biggest is working with Cameron Green. I’ve had several conversations with him over the years, but being able to help him on his journey and support his growth is something I’m really excited about,” Watson said. Hampered by injuries to pacers Harshit Rana and Akash Deep, who have both been ruled out of IPL-2026, Watson admitted KKR are “doing everything” they can to get Matheesha Pathirana to their camp. “It’s a waiting game at the moment, and we’re being guided by the Sri Lankan cricket board. We are just doing everything we can to get him over here as soon as possible. With the calibre of support staff and medical staff that we’ve got here at KKR, we’ve got the exact same interests as Sri Lankan cricket as well. We want Pathirana to be here. We want him to be fit. We certainly would never, ever push him any earlier than he needs to. “We just hope that sooner rather than later he’s able to come over here and we can really start the integration process,” Watson said. Watson showered praise on Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani, who was drafted into the side a few days before the tournament, and said that KKR were hoping he would capitalise on the opportunity and deliver the goods. “Life’s all about opportunities, and to be able to see someone like Blessing Muzarabani get the opportunity that he’s been working so hard towards with his exploits on the field is fantastic. For a tall guy, he’s a great athlete. He’s got great skills, and for there to be an opportunity for him to put it on the world stage and test himself against the best batters in the world, I’m so excited for him,” Watson said. Watson revealed that KKR’s young top-order batter, Mumbai’s Angkrish Raghuvanshi, has been slogging it out to be ready to don the keeping gloves. “Raghuvanshi has been working tirelessly on his wicketkeeping for the last five or six months.”

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq (AP Photo)

The spotlight at the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2026 has firmly shifted towards Pakistan off-spinner Usman Tariq, whose unusual action — marked by a statue-like pause at the crease — has sparked debate as much as it has baffled batters. The 28-year-old’s delivery stride, featuring a noticeable halt before release, has become one of the tournament’s most discussed elements, raising questions around legality, rhythm and the fine margins of modern spin bowling.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Tariq’s rise has not been without controversy. Critics have revisited past reports of suspect actions, pointing towards cricket’s long-standing “15-degree elbow flex” rule, which limits how much a bowler’s arm can straighten during delivery. Though twice reported during the Pakistan Super League, he was cleared after biomechanical testing at the National Cricket Academy Lahore.

Addressing the issue, Tariq insisted his action stems from a natural physical trait. “I have two elbows in my arm… my arm bends naturally. My bent arm is a biological issue,” he said, reiterating that testing validated his technique.What truly unsettles opponents, however, is the “long pause” that disrupts timing. Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed explained that the momentary halt breaks a batter’s concentration, making even routine deliveries unpredictable. The effect has been evident, with players like Cameron Green and Dewald Brevis among those visibly puzzled by Tariq’s release point and pace variations.

Despite the scrutiny, results have backed the spinner’s inclusion. He announced himself on the global stage with three wickets against the United States and boasts an impressive early T20I record, including a hat-trick in Rawalpindi. As the tournament progresses across spin-friendly conditions, Tariq’s unconventional action remains both Pakistan’s secret weapon and cricket’s hottest debate. Whether viewed as innovation or controversy, his long pause and biomechanical uniqueness have ensured that every delivery he bowls is watched with equal parts intrigue and suspicion.