India captain Suryakumar Yadav was spotted seemingly imitating Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq’s bowling action during a net session ahead of their highly anticipated T20 World Cup 2026 encounter. The two teams are set to face off on Sunday, February 15, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
With anticipation building for the high-voltage clash, much of the spotlight has been on Tariq’s unconventional action, especially the slight halt before his delivery stride and questions around his elbow position.
At Saturday’s training session on February 14, Suryakumar rolled his arm over in the nets and briefly paused before releasing the ball, appearing to mimic the Pakistan spinner’s unique style. You can watch the video here:
Suryakumar Yadav was literally having fun, mimicking Usman Tariq’s bowling action in the nets and somehow the other side has spun it into “India is scared.” The team looked relaxed, joking around before the big game. pic.twitter.com/3QqZTrK99y
— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952) February 14, 2026
Amid the ongoing talk around Usman Tariq, Abhishek Sharma was seen batting against Suryakumar Yadav in the nets, a boost for India ahead of the big clash. He had missed the February 12 game against Namibia in Delhi due to a stomach infection.
Overall, the 25-year-old has featured in three matches against Pakistan, all during the 2025 Asia Cup. Across those games, he accumulated 110 runs at an average of 36.67 and an impressive strike rate of 189.66, registering one half-century in the process.
“Pre-match hype raises questions” — Former India batter on buzz around Usman Tariq
During a live interaction on his YouTube channel on February 13, former India batter Mohammad Kaif downplayed the growing buzz around Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq. He emphasized that India possess a formidable lineup and noted that Tariq has not yet featured against the Men in Blue.
Kaif added that generating excessive hype ahead of the contest only leads to avoidable speculation. He said:
“This Indian team is a very strong side. They have big match-winners from the top order down to No. 8. So there should not be unnecessary hype around Tariq. Of course, players should watch his videos, understand how to play him, and make proper plans for the match. Bigger spinners have been faced in the past.”
“Tariq is being talked about a lot, but he has not even played against India yet. If he had played and taken four wickets, then there would be reason to discuss how brilliant he was. But he has not faced India yet, so building hype beforehand raises questions.”
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