As cricket fever peaks ahead of high-octane Pakistan‑India T20 World Cup 2026 clash, Men in Blue skipper Suryakumar Yadav has said that he is ready to face mystery off-spinner Usman Tariq.
Suryakumar made the remarks while addressing a press conference ahead of the Pakistan-India clash.
Responding to a question regarding Tariq, who has captured headlines for his unorthodox bowling action, he said: “Even in an exam, if a question comes out of the syllabus, you have to attempt it,” Suryakumar said.
“You can’t leave it. He’s a different character, but we won’t surrender to him. We’ve practised, and the whole team is very excited.”
Tariq, reportedly inspired by former India captain MS Dhoni, has turned heads with his unique bowling style, leaving many batters struggling to read him.
The tall off-spinner has impressed in the ongoing tournament, taking five wickets in two matches. Overall, he has claimed 11 wickets in four T20Is, maintaining an outstanding average of 7.90 and an economy rate of 5.93.
Tariq’s action has drawn scrutiny in the past. During Australia’s recent T20I tour of Pakistan, Australian batter Cameron Green was seen making a gesture widely interpreted as questioning Tariq’s action.
However, this is not the first time his bowling has been examined. Tariq was previously reported during PSL 9 and PSL 10, but his action was officially cleared on both occasions.
Addressing the scrutiny last year, Tariq explained that the natural bend in his elbows often causes confusion.
“There are two corners on my elbow that make it hard for me to straighten,” he said. “I underwent two tests in labs in Pakistan, and my action was cleared within a week. I wasn’t told to change anything. I was confident because I knew I wasn’t throwing.”
Historically, Pakistan and India have faced each other 16 times in T20 Internationals, with India winning 13 and Pakistan three.
In T20 World Cup history, the two sides have clashed eight times, with India leading 6-1 and one match ending in no result, underscoring the intensity and unpredictability of this rivalry.
