Former Indian bowler urges India to play Usman Tariq cautiously
Former India spin bowler Harbhajan Singh praised Pakistan’s mysterious off-spinner Usman Tariq, saying the off-spinner could play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The high-pressure match between India and Pakistan will be played on Sunday, February 15, at the RPS Stadium in Colombo.
Speaking to the media before the match, Harbhajan backed India’s victory, but admitted that Tariq could pose a serious threat to the Indian batsmen.
“India will win the match. Pakistan have a spinner, he’s a good spinner, we need to play conservatively…” he said.
“The Indian team is strong, they’re a very good team. We hope they play as they always have, without pressure, and fly the flag of victory,” Harbhajan commented.
Tariq is in excellent form in the ongoing tournament, having taken five wickets in two matches so far.
Overall, he has taken 11 wickets in four T20Is, maintaining an exceptional average of 7.90 and an economy of 5.93.
The spinner has also attracted attention for his unorthodox bowling, which has left most of the batsmen he has faced struggling.
During Australia’s recent T20I series in Pakistan, Australian batsman Cameron Green was seen making a gesture that many interpreted as a criticism of Tariq’s bowling.
This wasn’t the first time Tariq’s pitch had been scrutinized. He had already been flagged during PSL 9 and PSL 10, but on both occasions his pitch was officially declared fine.
Regarding last year’s scrutiny, Tariq explained that the natural bend in his elbows often causes confusion.
“There are two angles on my elbow that make it difficult for me to straighten it,” he said in an interview last year.
“I had two tests in the labs in Pakistan, and my pitch was declared fine within a week. I wasn’t told to change anything. I was confident because I knew I wasn’t throwing.”
