IND vs PAK, T20 World Cup: Irfan Pathan Seeks ICC Scrutiny of Usman Tariq's Bowling Action

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has sharply criticized the bowling action of Pakistan's 'mystery' spinner Usman Tariq ahead of the highly anticipated clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, February 17. 

Usman Tariq’s bowling action has been the topic of debate ahead of the marquee event, as his stop-start spin and sidearm delivery have sparked debate over its legality, though Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha confirmed that he has been cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and remains a key threat to Team India in the Colombo clash.

Team India batters were specifically preparing to counter Tariq's variations in the nets, with skipper  Suryakumar Yadav imitating his bowling action to help teammates get adapted to the unusual pause in his run-up and quicker release.

As Usman Tariq is likely to be a threat to India batters, former India cricketer Irfan Pathan raised suspicion over the Pakistan spinner's bowling action. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan urged theInternational Cricket Council (ICC) to ask Tariq to bowl in full sleeves to get the variations better. 

“My request to the ICC is that if there is even a little bit of doubt on a bowler’s action, don’t let him bowl with full sleeves," Irfan Pathan said. 

"Ask them to bowl in half sleeves, as it would give you a better idea. You can’t see how much the arm is getting bent in full sleeves. Even if you look in the past, all the bowlers who had a problem in their action used to bowl with full sleeves," he added.

Further speaking on Usman Tariq's bowling action, Irfan Pathan suggested that Pakistan spinner's bowling appears normal at regular pace, but there are chances of increasing the speed when he pauses and delivers quicker, which, according to former India all-rounder, needs careful observation. 

"I feel that his (Usman Tariq’s) hand doesn’t bend much while bowling normal balls. But when he takes that pause and bowls a faster one, you need to keep an eye on that. You need to watch his hand when the speed increases," the 41-year-old said. 

Irfan Pathan shared an advice by Legends League umpire, Ajay Verma, stating that the umpires should be a little bent, as such bowling action, like that of Usman Tariq's stop-start delivery, can obstruct the batter’s sightline and make it harder to clearly judge the bowler’s arm movement.

“Ajay Verma’s advice was that the umpire should remain a little bent. Even his hat or cap should be a black one,” Pathan said. 

"If the umpire is bent, the bowler’s hand would come in front of the sight screen," he added.

At the press conference, Suryakumar Yadav was asked whether Team India is ready to face ‘out-of-syllabus’ Usman Tariq's bowling, given that India batters are facing a Pakistan spinner for the first time in international cricket. 

In response to the query by Pakistan journalist, Suryakumar stated that his team cannot ignore ‘out of syllabus’ questions rather than prepare for it, adding that India has practised extensively for such challenges in the nets and will approach Tariq’s unusual bowling with focus and intent.