In the fast-paced world of T20 cricket, where speed guns and UltraEdge technology appear to dictate reality, Pakistan’s newest spin sensation, Usman Tariq, is asking fans and officials to look beyond what they think they see and trust science. As his stutter-step delivery continues to baffle some of the world’s best batters, Tariq has offered a defence that is part sports psychology and part theoretical physics: he is not stopping. He is simply moving at a different speed from everyone else.
Tariq has emerged as the breakout enigma of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, providing the kind of mid-innings stranglehold that has long been the hallmark of the Men in Green’s bowling attack. However, with the wickets has come a wave of scrutiny over his unusual delivery stride, a motion that appears to feature a distinct, frozen pause just before release.
Addressing the growing debate in an interview with the broadcasters ahead of Pakistan’s Super 8 clash against New Zealand in Colombo, Tariq explained his bowling action with a touch of relativity thrown in for good measure.
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It is a defence that sounds as though it has been lifted from a physics textbook. While umpires and frustrated batters believe they are witnessing a complete stop that disrupts the rhythm of the game, Tariq insists the engine is still running, just in a lower gear.
“I would not say I am pausing. If you watch my action in slow motion, you will see that I am still moving, but I am moving slowly,” Tariq said on Saturday, February 21.
“What I try to do is break the fractions of my bowling action and control the pace of my movement. That is how it works for me. It has been there from the start, and it is working really well for me now.”
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The debate over Tariq’s legality has divided the cricketing fraternity, with critics and defenders interpreting the laws in different ways. Former India wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami ignited the discussion by likening the pause to a football penalty run-up, arguing that such a break in “continuity” should not be permitted. Ravichandran Ashwin, however, countered that if batters are allowed to switch-hit without warning, bowlers should be afforded their own quirks.
Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar and former international umpire Anil Chaudhary have both publicly approved the action. Gavaskar dismissed the criticism by stating that there is “no law against the bowler stopping”, while Chaudhary confirmed that, as long as the release remains consistent and within the 15-degree limit, the delivery is entirely legal.
As for when Tariq first introduced the hesitation before release, the answer dates back to his days of street cricket with a tennis ball in Pakistan.
The 28-year-old spinner revealed that his trademark delay was a survival mechanism developed in tennis-ball cricket, where subtle changes in pace are often the only way to avoid being dispatched over a neighbour’s fence.
“Yes, this action has been there from the beginning. It developed when I was playing tennis-ball cricket,” he said.
DID USMAN TARIQ ENVISION A RAPID RISE?
The journey from the streets to the global stage has been rapid. When asked what he would have said seven years ago if told he would be representing Pakistan at a World Cup, Tariq admitted that such a future would have seemed distant.
“Honestly, seven years ago I was playing domestic cricket, and I do not think I was as prepared as I am today. At that time, I would not have imagined things the way they are now,” he said.
The results, however, speak for themselves. Legends of the game have lined up to praise his control and the discomfort he causes at the crease. For Tariq, the hype remains secondary to the joy of competing at the highest level.
“It feels really special to receive so much appreciation from legends and from all of you. I am enjoying every moment — the performances, the atmosphere, everything. I am looking forward to bringing more energy and creating more excitement,” he said.
Usman Tariq made his debut for Pakistan in 2025. He has since played six T20Is, claiming 16 wickets. At the T20 World Cup, he has taken eight wickets in three matches.
It was his performances in the 2025 Caribbean Premier League that first brought him into the spotlight. Representing Trinbago Knight Riders, he claimed 20 wickets in 10 matches, signalling the arrival of a bowler unafraid to bend perception — if not the laws of physics.
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