Former international umpire, India’s Anil Chaudhary, has given the green light to Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq’s bowling action that has been in the news of late. Tariq's bowling action received much notice recently after Australia all-rounder Cameron Green said the spinner was chucking or throwing.
Tariq dismissed Green in the second T20I between Australia and Pakistan on Saturday in Lahore. On his way back to the pavilion, a furious Green gestured, implying that the Pakistani bowler's move was illegal. The videos of this encounter went viral on social media, leaving admirers perplexed by Tariq's strange behavior.
The Pakistani spinner has a low sidearm action and sometimes stops midway through his load-up before delivering the ball. He is also part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad as well.
Anil Chaudhary, who was an ICC elite panel umpire, talked about Usman Tariq’s bowling action on his Instagram account. He explained that while Tariq’s action is unique, it seemed legal to him.
“If you look at his action, it is slightly side-on and a bit different, and he bowls with a slight pause. However, since he delivers all his balls in the same manner and in his arm, and there is no bending and straightening as per the guidelines, the action is absolutely fine. It is different, and he bowls with a pause, but he delivers all balls in the same way. In my opinion, his action is fair, and this is a fair delivery,” Chaudhary said in a video on his Instagram handle.
Tariq's prior bowling action in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has also come under scrutiny. He was reported for chucking during the 2024 and 2025 rounds of the PSL, but PCB tests determined that his actions were lawful.
Following the altercation with Green, former Australia opener Usman Khawaja expressed his support for Tariq.
“There aren’t many things worse than being called a chucker in cricket. The stigma is real. The man is just doing his best and has been cleared twice. Let’s have some perspective and understanding and stop jumping to conclusions,” Khawaja, who was born in Islamabad, Pakistan, stated on his Instagram.
