Ahead of the much-awaited India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match on February 15, off-spinner Usman Tariq is the hottest topic in the run-up to the high-voltage match. The focus of Pakistan is on Usman Tariq, who bowled for an extended period in practice. Ahead of the match, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha said, "Usman Tariq is trump card for us. We don't care about talks about his action. Usman's action has been cleared twice and I don't know why it is being talked about." (sic). Pakistan's three back-to-back losses in the Asia Cup to India and all that followed over the next few months have left the team hungry for revenge.

Agha insisted Tariq will be a special weapon when his side face their arch-rivals, after being cleared to play after an Islamabad government U-turn after initially ordering a boycott of the India match. "Tariq is our X-factor and a key weapon," Agha said ahead of the tournament after Pakistan had used him sparingly to protect his unique action.

For the unversed, Usman Tariq's unusual stop-and-pause side-arm bowling motion has led players and experts to discuss and debate his style. Pakistan have deployed him strategically, and he has largely lived up to expectations. His statistics are impressive. The 28-year-old has already taken 11 wickets at an incredible economy rate of less than six runs per over in just 4 T20 Internationals. In total, out of 42 matches, he has bagged 70 wickets in T20 matches. He grabbed a match-defining 3-27 against USA in Colombo on his World Cup debut this week.

The unusual bowling action of the double-jointed spinner has created plenty of chatter in his first T20 World Cup, and now he goes into Sunday's revived clash against India as one of Pakistan's main weapons.

Usman Tariq two elbow controversy

The 28-year-old's bizarre bowling action was reported as illegal twice in the last two years, but was cleared by the International Cricket Council laboratory.

His action carries an element of mystery as he pauses exaggeratedly before releasing the ball in a sling-shot manner.

England's Tom Banton questioned Tariq's action in the United Arab Emirates T20 League last year. Australia all-rounder Cameron Green mimicked Tariq's round-arm during the T20 series before the World Cup in Lahore, raising renewed doubts.

But India player Ravichandaran Ashwin, himself a great spinner, and umpire Anil Chaudhary declared Tariq's bowling action to be within the rules.

"I believe that it is entirely legal," Ashwin wrote on X, by explaining several factors of the action.

"I have two corners of my bowling arm elbow, which is rare," Tariq told AFP. "I have been cleared twice so I am confident that it's legal. "I have struggled this far and am not worried about such baseless questions."

Will there be an India-Pak handshake tomorrow?

Asked about shaking hands with India players, Salman Agha said, "We will see about it tomorrow." During the Asia Cup 2025, India captain Suryakumar Yadav did not exchange pleasantries with his Pakistan counterpart Salman Ali Agha after the match. Even after India's 7-wicket win, Indian cricketers did not shake hands with their opposition. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was not happy with the incident and decided to lodge an official complaint with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). However, the BCCI official made it clear that what India did was not wrong at all.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav had announced in Dubai last September during the Asia Cup that his team would not shake hands with Pakistan as a mark of respect for the Indian citizens who lost their lives in the Pahalgam terror attack in April last year. The decision was also described as a gesture of solidarity with the Indian Army during ‘Operation Sindoor’.

It is understood that the same protocol is likely to be followed on Sunday, with neither captain expected to shake hands at the toss or at the end of the match.

"We will see about it tomorrow," Agha said on whether the custom will be followed.

With tension prevailing around the game after Pakistan's initial boycott, the skipper wanted to steer clear of any controversies and said that he would like both teams to adhere to spirit of cricket.

"I expect game should play in the spirit it has always been played since it's inception," Agha said.

(With agency inputs)