From Dubai Salesman To Pakistan’s Trump Card In The T20 World Cup 2026: Usman Tariq’s Rise In Pakistan Cricket

Pakistan’s star bowler Usman Tariq stole all the limelight with his outstanding performance in their do-or-die match against the Namibia cricket team. Usman Tariq shone with the ball as he picked a four-wicket haul and helped the Pakistan cricket team to qualify for the Super 8s of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. Riding on his stellar spell, Pakistan defeated Namibia by 102 runs at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha introduced Usman Tariq with the ball in the 12th over, and he started brilliantly by conceding just 4 runs. In the 14th over of the game, Usman Tariq claimed a double-wicket maiden. He picked the wickets of JJ Smit and Ruben Trumpelmann.

Usman Tariq’s third over went for 11 runs before he ended his spell with a bang. He dismissed Bernard Scholtz and Willem Myburgh in the 18th over of the game. From the 3.3 overs that he bowled, Usman Tariq managed to finish with an outstanding 4/16. He also bowled a maiden.

Bowling action in the spotlight:

Though he is not a superstar, he has somehow managed to grab the attention of the cricket world during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 – all thanks to his controversial bowling action. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha, in an interview, hailed Usman as his “trump card”.

“We wanted to give Tariq a game,” Agha had said after Pakistan’s fixture against the USA. “I think he’s a match-winner and a trump card for us, so we want to use him.”

Usman Tariq’s bowling action has drawn him criticism from all corners. In fact, he was reported for a suspect action to the ICC during the Pakistan Super League; however, he was later cleared.

“ICC has tested him and cleared him twice, I don’t know that the fuss is all about. Anyway, he doesn’t get bothered much with all this because ever since he started playing people would talk about his action, so he is used to it,” Salman Agha said before the India game.

Usman Tariq’s Numbers Prove That He Can Turn The Match In A Few Overs

His numbers are extraordinary and do justice to Salman Ali Agha’s statement. According to ESPNcricinfo, Usman Tariq has raced to 75 wickets at 15.41 in 44 T20s he has played so far. This was his 5th four-wicket haul. In the 6 T20Is he has played for Pakistan so far, Usman has taken 16 wickets at 7.93, and this was his 2nd four-wicket haul in international T20s. In the ongoing tournament, Usman has 8 wickets from three matches.

As per a report by Cricbuzz, 4/16 is the second-best bowling figures from the Pakistan cricket team in the T20 World Cups after Shahid Afridi’s 4/11 vs Netherlands in the 2009 edition of the tournament. These numbers highlight how Usman Tariq can turn a match in a few overs.

MS Dhoni Changed His Life 

The journey to all the name and fame that he is getting right now wasn’t easy at all. In fact, he once decided to leave cricket completely.

Usman Tariq was born in the Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, but he moved to the UAE at a very young age. In the UAE, Usman worked as a salesman for a purchasing company. At that phase of his life, he just wanted to earn money to survive. Cricket was not his priority at that time.

But one moment changed his life. Recently, in an interview, Tariq revealed that after watching the biopic of Indian legend MS Dhoni — “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story”, Tariq felt inspired and decided to take up the sport once again. He left Dubai and decided to return to Pakistan and pursue his childhood dream.

“As for my inspiration, I came back to cricket after watching MS Dhoni. His story felt similar to mine because I was also working a job, and he was too. He created history, and I felt that if he could do it, maybe I could as well. But for that, I would have to work very hard. That’s what inspired me to return to cricket,” said Tariq.

From A Salesman to A Match-Winner For Pakistan

It was a friend who introduced Usman to Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman, who then helped him to connect with coaches in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Later, under the guidance of Pakistani cricketer Wajahatullah Wasti, Usman slowly built his cricketing career.

He got the biggest break of his life in December 2023, when he was picked by the Quetta Gladiators for the Pakistan Super League. This opportunity crushed all his financial issues and helped him rise to fame and play leagues around the world.

By the year 2025, Usman Tariq helped his team, Trinbago Knight Riders, lift the title in the Caribbean Premier League. He finished the tournament with 20 wickets and was all over the news. All thanks to his back-to-back powerful performances, Usman received a call-up to the national team for a series against South Africa.

He impressed one and all in his debut match for Pakistan as he picked 2/26 against South Africa. Soon, he picked a hat-trick against Zimbabwe in a tri-series and was named Player of the Match.

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