In a remarkable twist of fate during the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan‘s latest ‘mystery spinner’ Usman Tariq has emerged as a major tactical threat especially ahead of the high-voltage clash against India, but his journey to the national side has a surprising connection to an Indian legend. While the 28-year-old off-spinner is currently confounding batters with his unorthodox ‘stop-start’ action, he owes his professional comeback to the influence of MS Dhoni.
REVEALED: Pakistan’s secret weapon against India – Usman Tariq’s surprising connection with MS Dhoni
Usman’s connection with Dhoni is not one of personal mentorship, but of profound inspiration through cinema. In 2016, a frustrated Tariq had essentially quit cricket after repeated snubs in Pakistan’s domestic circuit. He moved to Dubai, where he worked a grueling job as a salesman and logistics officer in a procurement firm to support his family.
The turning point came when he watched the biopic “MS Dhoni: The Untold Story.” Tariq reportedly saw himself in the scenes where Dhoni struggled as a TTE in Kharagpur, balancing a monotonous 9-to-5 job with his burning desire to play for his country.
“I left the game after I did not get selected and started working as a salesman in a purchasing company in Dubai. One day, I watched M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, and it inspired me a lot. I left the job and went back to Pakistan to pursue cricket again,” Tariq revealed in a recent interview to Telecom Asia Sport in 2025. This cinematic moment of truth led him back to the nets, where he eventually developed the unique, slinging action that has now made him a household name.
Pakistan’s Usman Tariq says he gave himself another shot at cricket after being inspired by the train scene from MS Dhoni: The Untold Story. pic.twitter.com/ynyNXcVtIe
— Ragav X (@ragav_x) February 6, 2026
T20 World Cup 2026: The ‘Chucking’ controversy and support from Ravichnadran Ashwin
In the ongoing T20 World Cup, Tariq has lived up to his ‘X-factor’ label, most recently taking 3/27 to help Pakistan defeat the USA on February 10. However, his success has been shadowed by intense scrutiny over his bowling action, which features a dramatic, near-two-second pause at the crease before a side-arm release.
The debate reached a fever pitch after Australia’s Cameron Green questioned the legality of the action during a recent series. While social media trolls have labeled the action ‘illegal,’ Tariq has found an unexpected ally in Indian veteran Ravichandran Ashwin.
- Ashwin’s Defense: Ashwin took to X (formerly Twitter) to support the Pakistani spinner, arguing that if batters are allowed to switch-hit and reverse-sweep without warning, bowlers should be allowed their own ‘quirks’ as long as they stay within the 15-degree elbow extension limit.
Okay, let me make it as clear as possible. Firstly, the legalities of his action can only be tested at an ICC bowling action testing Centre.
Secondly, there is a 15° rule under which a bowler needs to keep his elbow and straighten it and to judge if a bowler is bowling within… pic.twitter.com/RbTkY6xJ3h
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) February 11, 2026
- Medical Condition: Tariq has clarified that he was born with a unique right elbow featuring ‘two corners,’ which creates a visual illusion of a bend that is actually a biological deformity, similar to the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan.
Usman Tariq educating the illiterate. pic.twitter.com/NxrUDBmt66
— Ihtisham Ul Haq (@iihtishamm) February 11, 2026
Having already passed biomechanical tests in Lahore, Tariq is set to be Pakistan’s primary weapon in the upcoming blockbuster clash against India on February 15 in Colombo.
Also READ: Is Usman Tariq’s bowling action legal? Breaking down the pause controversy
