Pakistani spinner Usman Tariq has once again come under criticism from some Indian cricket circles following his stellar performance in the T20 World Cup match against the United States, where he took three crucial wickets to help Pakistan secure victory.
After the match, an obscure Indian domestic cricketer shared a video of Usman Tariq on X, questioning his actions during the game. He compared it to football, saying that players are not allowed to suddenly pause while taking a penalty. “If the action is ongoing, it’s fine, but pausing just before delivering the ball violates the rules of the game,” he argued, questioning how such a pause could be permissible in cricket.
However, Indian legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin came to Usman Tariq’s defense. Ashwin said that if batters can play switch hits or reverse shots without informing the umpire or bowler, why should restrictions only apply to bowlers?.
He added that once a batter indicates intent to bat from a particular side of the crease, shouldn’t they have complete freedom? Meanwhile, a bowler must notify the umpire before changing their bowling hand. Ashwin stressed that the rule needs revision to ensure fairness and consistency in the game.
