T20 World Cup 2026: ‘He becomes a statue while bowling’ - Sadagoppan Ramesh slams Usman Tariq over his unusual action

Former Indian cricketer Sadagoppan Ramesh has remarked that batters must constantly be in doubt about when the ball will actually arrive while facing Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq. With India and Pakistan set to clash in their highly anticipated T20 World Cup 2026 encounter in Colombo on February 15, Tariq’s bowling action has become one of the major talking points ahead of the contest.

Tariq is known for his unusual and prolonged pause in his run-up before releasing the ball, a feature that has sparked widespread debate across social media platforms. Many fans and experts have questioned the legality and fairness of his action, arguing that the extended delay could potentially disrupt a batter’s rhythm and timing. Despite the scrutiny surrounding his action, Tariq has delivered impressive performances on the field.

In Pakistan’s most recent outing against the United States of America, he emerged as the standout bowler. The spinner returned figures of 3 for 27 in his four overs, playing a pivotal role in restricting the opposition and guiding Pakistan to victory.

"He becomes a statue while bowling. People may think there is a problem in their television when he's bowling because of the pause. Usually, with mystery spinners, there are doubts about which way the ball will turn. But when he's bowling, there is a doubt if the ball will even come to the batter. Yet, I believe a batter like Hardik Pandya is going to smash him,” said Ramesh on Instagram.

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Ramesh believes that too much has been made of Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan taking on India’s premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah during the Asia Cup 2025. While Farhan did manage to strike Bumrah for a few towering sixes, Ramesh feels the narrative has been exaggerated.

India went on to defeat Pakistan in all three encounters, including the final. Despite the defeats, Farhan’s performances with the bat emerged as a significant positive for Pakistan. Across the three matches against India, Farhan accumulated 155 runs at an impressive average of 51, including nine sixes.

"There has been too much buildup given in Pakistan for Sahibzada Farhan smashing Bumrah for a six in the Asia Cup. In a way, despite losing the match, Pakistan fans hailing a six hit off Bumrah is evidence of Bumrah's greatness. Yet, just for all this, Bumrah should dismiss Farhan," said Ramesh.

"It was just an aberration because Bumrah isn't just a bowler, he's India's ultimate trump card. Imagine if Indian fans hailed Tilak Varma for smashing a six of Haris Rauf even after a loss to Pakistan. Tilak himself will be embarrassed. After the USA game, Farhan spoke about playing India with the same mindset as they did in the Asia Cup. Did he forget Pakistan lost all three matches there?,” he added.