Usman Tariq: Meet the mystery spinner with an unusual two‑second trick putting England on alert
This profile was first published 02: 00 GMT 24 Feb 2026 and updated 09: 38 GMT 24 Feb 2026. The Karachi-born mystery spinner usman tariq has become a polarising figure during the T20 World Cup, combining a tall, martial‑artist look with an unorthodox delivery that has baffled batsmen and drawn intense scrutiny.
Usman Tariq's two‑second pause and bowling profile
Standing 6ft 4in tall and often wearing a hachimaki that pushes back his mop of hair, Usman Tariq bowls from a bent, round‑arm action. What distinguishes him is a two‑second delay in his delivery stride before release, a tactic that denies batsmen the chance to set themselves. He produces a range of variations, including a googly and a carrom ball, and the deliveries arrive so slowly at times that they are difficult to pierce through the inner ring or clear the boundary.
Numbers and early career: rapid rise in a short window
Tariq is 30 years old and a former Dubai office worker who belatedly chased a professional cricket career, inspired by Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s rise from train ticket inspector to captain of India. He is four months and seven Twenty20 appearances into his international career, having debuted against South Africa last October. In only his second appearance, against Zimbabwe, he took a hat‑trick.
At the highest level he already has 16 wickets at under eight runs apiece, a strike markedly better than his overall return of 75 wickets at 15. 41. In this tournament his economy rate is 5. 82, the best among spinners who have appeared at least four times. His pace has fluctuated widely: he has dropped to as low as 45mph in the tournament and reached as fast as 65mph on other deliveries.
On‑field reactions and the controversy around his action
Idiosyncrasies in Tariq’s action have prompted suspicion. He has been reported twice and cleared twice. During the 2024 Pakistan Super League, tests at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore found that although he bowls with a kink in his arm, the arm remains kinked throughout the full sweep of the action. A later assessment during last year’s Pakistan Super League showed any straightening of the arm was under the 15‑degree limit.
At recent matches some opponents have made their displeasure visible: one bowler drew attention by mimicking a side‑sling technique after a dismissal in a World Cup warm‑up match and later apologised, while another appeared to intimate to on‑field officials at the Pakistan Super League that Tariq was throwing. Those incidents underline the tension between unorthodox effectiveness and questions about legality.
Team tactics and practice reactions
Pakistan have used Tariq tactically, often holding him back until the second half of the innings when the ball is softer and harder to hit. His teammates have grappled with his deception in practice: wearing a bucket hat at a session in Pallekele, he reportedly lured his own colleagues into a succession of mishits that plugged across the outfield. Social media and match footage captured early highlights of his rapid ascent, including a first Pakistan Super League wicket in his third professional game that amplified attention.
England taking notice ahead of the Super Eight encounter
England’s direct exposure to Tariq has been limited, but his impact has been enough for Harry Brook to attempt replicating the unorthodox style in net practice ahead of Tuesday night’s World Cup Super Eight encounter. That preparation reflects both the challenge he poses and the need to find ways to nullify the two‑second pause and round‑arm angles.
What remains unsettled and what to watch next
Debate around legality has been active even after two clearances and detailed testing. The sample size of Tariq’s international career is still small, and while his early returns and economy rate are striking, the record is built across a limited number of matches. Recent developments indicate intense attention from opponents and officials; details may evolve as he faces more top‑level sides and as close observation continues.
