Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has come out in defense of Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq, backing the legality of his bowling action amid growing scrutiny ahead of Pakistan’s high-profile T20 World Cup clash against India.
Usman Tariq’s action became a major talking point after his impressive outing against the United States, where he claimed three wickets and played a key role in Pakistan securing their second consecutive win of the tournament.
However, attention quickly shifted from his performance to the noticeable pause in his bowling action before release, prompting debate among fans and former cricketers.
Several ex-Indian players weighed in on the issue, including Aakash Chopra and Shreevats Goswami, with the latter questioning whether pauses in a bowling run-up should be allowed at all. Goswami likened the pause to football penalty rules, where players are restricted from stopping during their run-up.
Ashwin, however, took a firm stance in Tariq’s defense. He questioned why bowlers are often subjected to stricter scrutiny than batters, pointing out that batters are free to play unconventional shots such as switch-hits without informing umpires, while bowlers must notify officials even when switching their bowling arm.
The former India spinner further explained that determining the legality of a bowling action is not possible through visual judgment alone. He stressed that such assessments can only be made at an ICC-accredited bowling action testing center, where bowlers are evaluated against the permitted 15-degree elbow extension limit.
Tariq has previously been reported for a suspect action during the Pakistan Super League, but on both occasions he was cleared by the ICC. The spinner’s action is influenced by his double-jointed elbows, which prevent him from fully straightening his arms — a condition famously associated with Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan.
Ashwin also addressed the pause in Tariq’s action, stating that it should be considered legal since it forms a consistent and natural part of his delivery stride, rather than an attempt to deceive batters.