With the Pakistan vs India showdown at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 drawing closer, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: India are rattled by Pakistan’s mystery spinner Usman Tariq.
What began as quiet concern has now escalated into full-blown emergency drills.
India’s preparations, public statements, media campaigns, and even tactical debates reveal a team struggling to come to terms with a bowler they cannot read, predict, or neutralize with conventional methods.
Usman Tariq’s unconventional bowling action has exposed a glaring discomfort within the Indian camp.
The unease spilled into the open when India captain Suryakumar Yadav openly admitted that facing Usman Tariq would be like attempting an “out of syllabus” question.
The remark was telling. Rather than projecting confidence, it confirmed that India view the Pakistani spinner as a problem they have no ready-made answer for.
That insecurity has since dictated India’s entire build-up.
Indian team management redesigned net sessions specifically around Usman Tariq, instructing bowlers to imitate his unusual action. When a team is forced to engineer practice sessions around a single opponent, it speaks volumes about who holds the psychological upper hand.
Even the Indian captain was seen attempting to mimicking Tariq’s bowling action to help out his team Abhishek Sharma prepare for the mystery spinner.
This is hilarious 😂😂. Just look at Suryakumar yadav and Indian team they are so afraid of Usman Tariq man. 😭😭pic.twitter.com/ETAioN7rXF
— Rayham (@RayhamUnplugged) February 14, 2026
The anxiety has trickled upward as well. Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, after initially defending Tariq’s legality, abruptly shifted his stance amid backlash at home. Ashwin went on to suggest exploiting technical loopholes, advising Indian batters to deliberately move away mid-delivery if Tariq paused, thereby forcing umpires into confusion.
🚨Ravi Ashwin on Usman Tariq Action (Ash ki Baat)🚨
If Usman Tariq runs in to bowl and then suddenly stops, the batter is allowed to move away. The batter can say, I thought he wasn’t going to bowl. This is main problem for Umpires.
Ashwin having PHD in cricket rules…🙌 pic.twitter.com/vuvv2VVWvy
— Jatin Yadav (@yadav_jati17044) February 13, 2026
India’s fear is not unfounded. Earlier in the competition, Indian batters struggled badly against Namibia’s Gerhard Erasmus, who had a four-wicket spell.
Strategically, the matchup looks worse for India. Their squad for the tournament is stacked with left-handed batters, nine in a 15-member lineup, a move encouraged by head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Pakistan are expected to exploit that imbalance by prioritizing Usman Tariq, whose off-spin naturally turns away from left-handers and whose skidding straight delivery has already unsettled top-order batters.
Amid the noise, controversy, and mounting scrutiny, Usman Tariq has remained unmoved. While Indian media debate his action and former players search for loopholes, Pakistan see him as their biggest weapon, a bowler who has already won the mental battle before a ball has been bowled.
