IND vs PAK: Salman Ali Agha breaks silence on Usman Tariq's bowling action controversy, labels him ‘Trump Card’

Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has backed off-spinner Usman Tariq, who has been at the centre of debate over his bowling action during the T20 World Cup 2026. Tariq’s sidearm action, where he briefly pauses before releasing the ball, has raised questions about its legality. Some critics have even accused him of chucking or throwing, sparking widespread discussion.

Usman Tariq's T20I performance

Despite the noise, the 28-year-old has delivered strong performances. He has picked up 11 wickets in just four T20Is at an impressive average of 7.90, including a four-wicket haul. In the ongoing T20 World Cup, he played against the USA and returned figures of 3 for 27 from his four overs.

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Salman Agha on Usman Tariq's bowling action

On the eve of India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 clash, Agha said that the controversy is not affecting the bowler. He described Tariq as a “trump card” for Pakistan and said the team has full faith in him.

“You all have made Usman Tariq a big name. For us, all 15 players are important. He has been bowling well, and you can definitely say he is a trump card for us. He has been cleared by the ICC, so I don’t understand why everyone is discussing him. Usman doesn’t get affected by these things. He is fine and doesn’t care about the outside talk,” Agha said.

Agha on India's T20 World Cup head-to-head domination vs Pakistan

Agha also admitted that Pakistan’s record against India in T20 World Cups has not been great, but stressed that past results do not matter when a new game begins.

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“Definitely, we don’t have a good record against India, but we can’t change history. Every day is a new day,” he added.

India and Pakistan have met eight times in T20 World Cup history. India have won seven of those matches, while Pakistan have managed just one victory.

India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 Group stage schedule

The high-voltage India vs Pakistan clash will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. Both teams have started their campaigns well, winning both of their matches so far. India defeated the USA and Namibia, while Pakistan beat the Netherlands and the USA.

India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, currently sits at the top of Group A with four points and a healthy net run rate of +3.050. Pakistan are second on the table with the same number of points but a net run rate of +0.932.