India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, will face Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, in the T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, February 15. The contest is expected to feature a key battle between Team India mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and Pakistan mystery option Usman Tariq.

Spin is expected to play a major role at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Zimbabwe’s bowlers used smart variations to trouble Australia in the previous game at the same venue. They defended a total of 169 and won the match by 23 runs, sparking discussion around how spinners from India and Pakistan could benefit.

Key Numbers of Varun Chakravarthy and Usman Tariq

Varun Chakravarthy has been in outstanding form, especially since the 2024 World Cup. He is the leading wicket-taker among all Full Member bowlers in T20Is, with 61 wickets at an average of 13.52.

Games often turn in the middle overs (7 to 15) in T20I matches. In all T20 games since the start of 2024, Varun has taken a wicket every 12.3 balls, which is the best strike rate in the world for this phase.

Usman Tariq plays a different role for Pakistan. Although he has featured in fewer matches, he has been very effective at controlling runs. He has taken wickets at a strike rate of 13.37 and has conceded just 6.89 runs per over in the middle overs, which is lower than Varun’s economy rate of 7.55.

Most Wickets in T20Is Since WC 2024 (Among Full Member Teams):

Lowest Strike Rate in Middle Overs Since 2024 (Minimum 40 Wickets in Phase):

Varun Chakravarthy vs Usman Tariq: Who is More Dangerous?

Varun Chakravarthy and Usman Tariq bring very different skills. The Indian spinner took three wickets for just seven runs in a two-over spell against Namibia. He also has the ability to perform in front of a packed crowd.

Varun bowls with sharp angles and a quicker release speed of around 95 kmph. His length prevents batters from either staying back or stepping out with confidence.

Usman’s danger comes from his pause-and-release action. He breaks a batter’s timing by stopping mid-run-up before delivering the ball with a sling-style action. His low release point keeps the ball below the batter’s eye line.

While Usman can be extremely uncomfortable to face because of his unorthodox method, Varun’s current form, control, and wicket-taking ability make him the more dangerous bowler.

Varun Chakravarthy Has an Ideal Length - Sunil Joshi

Former India spinner Sunil Joshi said that Varun Chakravarthy is hard to attack. He pointed out that Varun bowls neither too short nor too full, which forces batters into indecision.

"At such speeds and angles, length is more important. Varun has an ideal length. It’s neither too short nor too full, so the batsmen cannot hang back comfortably and pull or come out confidently to play those big shots," Joshi said, as cited by news agency PTI.

Quetta Gladiators General Manager Nabeel Hashmi said that Usman Tariq’s action allows him to keep the ball below the batter’s eye line. This makes hitting him extremely difficult and gives the feeling of facing yorkers almost every delivery.

“His action, the primary attraction of his bowling, allows him to keep the ball below the batsmen’s eye line. So, it’s not easy to hit him, it is almost like you are dealing with yorkers every ball,” Nabeel Hashmi, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.