The contentious bowling action of Pakistan mystery spinner once again drew scrutiny.
The contentious bowling action of Pakistan mystery spinner Usman Tariq once again drew attention during a men’s Hundred match on Friday (July 24).
On this occasion, Australian batter Tim David questioned Tariq’s action while playing for the Trent Rockets against the Birmingham Phoenix.
David edged a full delivery outside off stump directly to the wicketkeeper off Tariq’s bowling. Following his dismissal, he gestured to the on-field umpire, suggesting the delivery should have been called a no-ball as it didn’t comply with the law.
David instinctively signaled for a player review but decided against it and walked off when the umpire did not uphold his complaint.
Earlier this year, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green had made a ‘chucking’ gesture after being dismissed by Tariq during a T20I match.
Usman Tariq's action, despite having been reported for being suspect in the past, has been cleared as legal by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
His action features a long pause in the delivery stride, prompting the legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to suggest the Indian batters during the T20 World Cup 2026 to step away from the crease to force a dead ball when facing Tariq.
Meanwhile, Usman Tariq has publicly defended his action, explaining that a unique physical structure gives him a naturally bent arm and a "two-elbows" sensation, which has previously been tested and cleared in biomechanics labs.