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Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh sounded confident about India's chances against Pakistan and said Pakistan's spinner Usman Tariq is "different from the other spinners" and that containing him could be crucial
Singh said that Tariq has a unique style and numerous variations, making him difficult to hit. Usman, 28, has scalped 11 wickets in four T20Is at an average of 7.90 with a four-fer to his name. However, he has come under scrutiny for a sidearm action in which he delivers the ball after a brief pause. Usman Tariq's performance in the T20 WC 2026 match against the USA was impressive, taking 3 wickets for 27 runs in 4 overs. His unique bowling action, with a brief pause, has been a topic of discussion, with some questioning its legality. Speaking to reporters, Harbhajan reflected on his experience with Tariq in the ILT20 in Dubai. He said, "See, he (Usman Tariq) is someone that I have seen bowl in ILT20 in Dubai. He was the pick of the bowlers for me. Whenever he got the opportunity, he was picking up wickets for his team." The former Indian cricketer went on to explain what makes Tariq different from other spinners, noting his impressive variety and unorthodox approach. "He's different from the other spinners. And of course, he's got a lot of variation. It's just not stopping. And what he brings to the table is that he's got a lot of variation. People are talking about him just standing and delivering. It's not easy. You know, anybody can stand and bowl, but you've got to have, you know, different variation, which he's got." "And of course, he's hard to hit. And especially in bigger grounds, he'll be even more harder on slower pitches." Ahead of the India-Pakistan encounter, Harbhajan advised the Indian team to be cautious when facing a bowler (Usman Tariq) they have not previously encountered. "All I want to say is, be a little bit mindful when you're playing against someone that you have never faced before." However, he expressed confidence in India's ability to overcome this challenge. "If India can manage to tackle him and not give him any kind of big wicket, I think India has got the team, can definitely defeat Pakistan with a lot of match winners on the Indian side," Singh concluded.
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