Pakistan captain Salman Agha has thrown his weight behind Usman Tariq ahead of the IND vs PAK game in Colombo on Sunday. Tariq's bowling action has come under heavy criticism during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Agha refuted those claims, stating that he had twice been cleared by the ICC and called him a trump card for the game.
"For us every player is equal. You guys have made Usman Tariq this big. He has been bowling well. He is our trump card. Usman has been cleared twice by the ICC. I don't know why there is talk about his action. He doesn't care about all this talk," Salman Agha said in his press conference.
Usman did not play the first game but returned with figures of 3/27 against USA. Tariq's bowling action has been under severe social media scrutiny with former players and fans all weighing their opinion on the Pakistan star's action.
Tariq's bowling action is unconventional - his normal run-up is followed by an massive pause at release, before he crouches down on his knees to deliver.
He has been twice reported for suspect action, cleared both times. The 28-year-old played a huge role in the Quetta Gladiators' run to the 2025 PSL final. He also bagged 20 wickets in 10 games for champions Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL.
