Several batters have objected to Tariq’s unconventional action, which features a long pause in the delivery stride.
Usman Tariq recently shared that West Indies veteran Sunil Narine reached out to him during a period of intense scrutiny over his bowling action.
Tariq revealed Narine contacted him directly and spent nearly 30 minutes discussing the controversy. He told the Pakistani mystery spinner to completely ignore batters who question the legitimacy of his unconventional bowling action.
Narine strongly advised Tariq against responding publicly to critics, urging him to let his on-field performances do the talking instead.
Narine is uniquely qualified to offer this guidance. His own highly successful career was frequently disrupted by intense scrutiny, official warnings, and suspensions over his bowling action, forcing him to remodel it multiple times.
Speaking in an interview with former Pakistan batter Fawad Alam, Tariq explained how Narine's veteran perspective provided much-needed support as he navigates similar career hurdles.
“Sunil Narine called me, and we spoke for almost 30 minutes. He told me, ‘Whatever these people are doing, don’t respond to them. They’re only doing this because they can’t pick you. Just keep doing what you’re doing’,” Tariq said.
“Narine called me just two days ago and discussed the issue for almost 30 minutes. He advised me not to respond to such gestures and to continue doing whatever has been working for me.
“He said their actions were a result of frustration as they were unable to pick me, and all of their gestures came after I dismissed them, not when they were still batting. He explained that he was just passing on his experience, as he had also been through that phase in his career,” the Pakistan spinner added.
Two weeks ago, Australian batter Tim David questioned Usman Tariq’s action during a men’s Hundred match between Trent Rockets and 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).
In the past, Tariq had 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.