Usman Tariq has been in the limelight ahead of the marquee clash.
Australia great Ricky Ponting has advised how to play Usman Tariq, whom Salman Ali Agha named as Pakistan’s trump card for the India clash. A lot of focus has been on Tariq’s action and pause, which are seen as a potential threat to Indian batters on a helpful deck.
In a talk with ICC, Ponting first expressed his disappointment over Cameron Green’s gesture, where he mimicked the Pakistani bowler’s action, exclaiming that players have seen him bowl enough. Later, he went on to give a masterclass on how to play Usman Tariq, suggesting Indian batters should target him down the ground and put pressure on him straight away.
“From what I’ve seen, the guys who have struggled most against him are the guys who have been looking to almost hit across the line a little bit. He’s not a big turner of the ball. If I was coaching these guys, I’d say stand on off-stump, target the sightscreen, hit him with a straight bat, hit him as hard as you want down the ground, and if you can do that against him early on, then all the pressure comes back onto him. So, that’s certainly what I’d be saying.”
Tariq has taken 11 T20I wickets so far, eight of whom have been caught by fielders and three bowled. The initial impression has indeed been that batters have looked to whack him square of the boundary, which has resulted in a lot of caught dismissals.
Undeniably, India will be aware of the different dimension that Usman Tariq will bring in the high-octane clash at the T20 World Cup 2026. Hence, India were seen preparing extensively to counter him, with several players, including the captain Suryakumar Yadav, giving batting practice to his batters with the same action and pause.
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So, they will be prepared for the challenge the Pakistani spinner will bring in Colombo. The only thing is that conditions will suit slow bowlers, which can be an issue for India, given they haven’t played on sluggish decks lately.
Abhishek Sharma knows how to hit spinners down the ground, and he will hold the key early on. Even Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube are quite strong in the V and can power him away, even though slow decks will require precise hitting.
Maybe Tariq will also have some pressure after being highlighted so much, which can work in India’s favour and help them take him down. There’s an uncertainty factor, but India must have analysed data and videos to understand what works against him, and they might also follow Ponting’s advice.
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