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.

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq (AP Photo)

CHENNAI: If the online troll army is getting worried about Pakistan’s mystery slinger spinner Usman Tariq ahead of India’s blockbuster clash against the neighbours, they have MS Dhoni to blame.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Apparently, Tariq, once a sales-man working in the UAE, changed the course of his life when he decided to escape the humdrum and chase his dream when he watched ‘MS Dhoni, The Untold Story’.Inspired by the Indian legend’s moment of truth in the film, when he left his job in Kharagpur as ticket-collector to become a full-time cricketer, Tariq quit his Dubai job and returned to Paki-stan. He worked on his game, got his opportunities in franchise leagues across the world, and in captain Salman Ali Agha’s words, is now “Pakistan’s X-factor”.

It’s Tariq’s stop-start run-up and the slinging delivery action that have caused irritation among teams, IPL’s new millionaire Cameron Green adding fuel to the fire after being unable to deal with Tariq in the recently-con-cluded ODI series.Suddenly, Tariq’s action has become the talking point and after the USA struggled against him on Tuesday, the decibels seem to have risen a bit. Tariq took 3-27, taking the steam out of the USA chase, and was the fulcrum of the spin quintet, which includes part-timer Saim Ayub too.It’s the traditionally slow Pre-madasa track, where Pakistan play India next, that’s leading to the cause for worry. Tariq, who stops before delivering, is very slow through the air and it sometimes seems that the ball wouldn’t reach the bat. The batter has to create all the momentum to hit him.While his slowness is par for the course because of the quirkiness of the action, the difficulty for the batter arises when one ball suddenly comes a little faster and turns. There are voices in the cricket world which insist that Tariq chucks that delivery and that he shouldn’t be allowed to play.But the mystery spinner has found an ally from an unusual quarter in the form of the master of the craft of off-spin, R Ashwin, who posted his support on X.Eminent batting coach and former India player WV Raman, too, believes Tariq isn’t chucking, but India shouldn’t find it difficult to play him. “With a round-arm ac-tion it is very difficult to chuck … It is the quirkiness of Tariq’s ac-tion that is creating the problem. Batters are used to a rhythm where everything keeps happening in one go. When suddenly there is a pause, you start thinking about what’s go-ing on,” Raman told TOI.“But Indian batters are good enough to deal with this. Kedar Jadhav and Riyan Parag bowl like that from time to time, so it’s not that they are not used to it,” he said. Over the next few days, the chat-ter will continue. The Indian play-ers are superb players of spin bowl-ing, somebody like Shivam Dube being a designated spin-hitter. Pakistan will have a few more spin-ners in their XI in the form of Mo-hammed Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan and India will need all their skill to deal with the threat, led by Tariq.