Amid the usual hullabaloo, there was one player who was mentioned more than the rest at the press conference before the highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan at the T20 World Cup.
That player is Usman Tariq, the Pakistan spinner.
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He might have only played four international matches but, right now, his bowling action is the most discussed anywhere in the world.
«He doesn’t care about these things,» said Pakistan captain Salman Agha.
«Since the time he has started cricket, these talks are going on about him.
«He doesn’t care about these things.»
So what is the history, what are the rules and what has been said about him?
Who is Usman Tariq and why has his bowling action been controversial?
Tariq has taken 11 wickets in four T20s, including 3-27 against the United States at this World Cup [Getty Images]
Tariq is a 28-year-old off-spinner from Pakistan. He has played just two first-class matches, instead concentrating on T20s.
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After an initial season in the Pakistan Super League in 2023-24, he has become more prominent over the past year with a successful PSL and Caribbean Premier League in 2025, plus two matches in this winter’s ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates.
But it is Tariq’s bowling action that has made him so discussed.
He trots to the crease and pauses in his delivery stride, also coming to a complete stop, before slinging the ball down with a low-armed action.
During the warm-up series between Australia and Pakistan before this World Cup, Australia batter Cameron Green mimicked a side-arm throwing action after being dismissed by Tariq. He later apologised.
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During the ILT20, England batter Tom Banton also appeared to suggest to the umpire that Tariq was throwing.
Tariq’s action has twice been reported by on-field umpires during the Pakistan Super League, in 2024 and again in 2025, but he was cleared on both occasions.
What are the laws?
The regulations around whether a bowler is ‘throwing’ are simple.
Bowlers are not allowed to straighten their arm by more than 15 degrees from the time the arm reaches the shoulder in the bowling action.
«An illegal bowling action is a bowling action where the player’s elbow extension exceeds 15 degrees between their arm reaching the horizontal and the ball being released,» the International Cricket Council’s playing conditions say.
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Bowlers with suspected actions are first reported by the on-field umpires or match referee and then must undergo testing at an ICC-approved testing centre.
Tariq’s action was cleared at the centre in Lahore, Pakistan.
The laws and regulations around Tariq’s pause are less clearcut, with the issue falling under the «unfair play» section of the laws and playing conditions – rather than being explicitly defined by a law.
The on-field umpires can interpret the unfair play law, possibly using Law 41.5 which covers the «deliberate distraction or deception of batter» or the more broader laws around unfair play, to ensure the match goes ahead fairly.
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«If the pause is obviously longer or shorter, or if he bowls without a pause, that will be considered deception» was one interpretation offered by former ICC umpire Anil Chaudhary this week.
«Everything seems OK up to now. I am not seeing anything wrong.»
The issue came up in 2014 when former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin paused in his delivery stride, resulting in a tightening of how umpires interpreted these laws.
The umpires are left to judge whether the length of a pause in a bowler’s action is fair or unfair.
Tariq took 2-16 in his one match against Australia earlier this year [Getty Images]
What has been said?
Tariq has said any flex in his action comes because he has «two elbows» in the joint.
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Pakistan captain Salman said the spinner is his «trump card».
«He has been bowling very well for the past few months,» Salman said.
«And he has also bowled very well in the league cricket he was playing before playing for Pakistan.
«You can say that he is a trump card for us.»
India captain Suryakumar Yadav was seen mimicking Tariq’s action in the nets before the encounter and backed his batters to succeed.
«He is a different character when he comes to bowl, but at the same time we cannot just surrender to him,» Suryakumar said.
«We practise with similar type of bowlers and similar actions and we will try to execute what we are practising in net sessions.»
This article is the latest from BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team.
