While the India star would try it out occasionally, the PAK spinner seems to have imbibed it into his action and would do every ball.
A new mystery spinner from Pakistan has currently taken the cricketing world by storm. Plying his trade for the Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL 9), he stunned the batters and the spectators with his mystery, picking up two early wickets in one over during a match against the Karachi Kings last night (February 29). However, it was his bowling action that grabbed the spotlight.
Usman Tariq, an off-break bowler, incorporates a pause into his delivery, reminiscent of India’s Ravichandran Ashwin. Unlike Ashwin, who occasionally uses this pause as a variation, Tariq employs it consistently with every ball he bowls.
After Tom Seifert got bamboozled by Tariq’s ball which he tried to work on leg-side and missed and was given out LBW, he would also pick the wicket of James Vince who faced 21 balls for his 37. The mystery spinner eventually ended the match with figures of 2-16 from his quota of four overs.
Usman Tariq’s double-strike in his first over! ⚡⚡#HBLPSL9 | #KhulKeKhel | #KKvQG pic.twitter.com/2MJ4Khoksf
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 29, 2024
Dissecting his Tariq’s bowling, former Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said on A Sports, “He (Taqir) has a carrom ball and on top of that, he is accurate. The spin is so subtle that it is just enough to beat the bat. For the right-handers, he is difficult to face. ”
Misbhah further analysed, “If you play him like an off-spinner where the ball comes back in which we have tried and seen but all the batters make the same mistake when we think he is delivering the carrom ball. We try to play him in-line we plant our foot to play but him that subtle turn will get to you LBW or bowled, When you are facing your first or second ball as a batter in your innings even if you pick it you will make a mistake some way or the other.”
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