Cheat or genius? The mystery spinner causing a stir in the Hundred

Wouldn’t it be dull if we were all the same. That might have been Usman Tariq’s slightly less colourful response to Tim David holding out his arm to signal a mock no-ball in the recent Hundred clash between the Birmingham Phoenix and Trent Rockets. The 31-year-old has got tongues wagging across the cricket world. A succession of high-profile players have complained about Tariq’s bowling action – which involves him pausing before releasing the ball almost from an entirely standing position with a trajectory that varies considerably. David is just the latest to express his anger following the likes of England white-ball star Tom Banton and Australia all-rounder Cameron Green. Is Usman Tariq’s bowling action legal? Tariq’s style is highly unusual, so where do you start? Well, it is probably best to begin with the fact that his action has been cleared by the relevant authorities. He was reported twice during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2024 and 2025 before being cleared on 7 May, 2025, after an assessment at the Pakistan Cricket Board’s accredited biomechanics lab in Lahore found his elbow extension remained within the International Cricket Council’s 15-degree limit. The 31-year-old made his debut for Pakistan against South Africa in 2025 (Photo: Getty) Tariq, who has two elbows in his right arm, has been unapologetic. And rightly so. After all, this is a man who has risen to the top of the game after spending much of the past decade behind a desk in an office. Speaking to the Beard Before Wicket podcast, Tariq said: “The umpires are already there and they are the ones who are going to question me. “So being a professional player, I think we should be way more mature and intelligent to have the knowledge of the rules of this game.” Throwing drama is nothing new Let’s face it, Tariq isn’t the first spinner to come along and raise suspicion. Muttiah Muralitharan, still the leading wicket-taker in the history of Test cricket, took 800 wickets in 133 matches, despite his action coming in for almost constant scrutiny. Aussie spinner Matthew Kuhnemann was reported for a suspected illegal bowling action after bowling his side to success over Sri Lanka on their tour in early 2025. He was subsequently cleared. There are countless others. Tariq may not have quietened the batters who believe he is pushing the rule, but he has unquestionably got people talking about the art of bowling. ‘Players like Tariq should be celebrated’ Tariq picked up two wickets in his first match at the Hundred (Photo: Getty) Paul Adams did too back in the mid nineties. The former South Africa spinner’s action was once likened to a “frog in a blender” by the English press during a tour of the country in 1995. He has watched Tariq’s success with increasing interest. “I love the mystery around it,” he tells The i Paper. “When people aren’t used to facing certain things they have to figure stuff out. They’ve got to have the visuals on it, see it enough times. For me, it’s all about working out where the ball is coming out. “Players really struggle, especially early on, until they work out a pattern of how they need to play. But players like Tariq should be celebrated too – we don’t want everyone to have the same action do we? “With Tariq, if the ball is accurate, if the pace of the ball can change and it’s within the rules of cricket, then it’s up to the coaches to find a way of managing it. “It’s certainly not up to the players to question the legality of his deliveries. Calling no-balls or making signals as you walk off the pitch? That’s just bang out of order.” How good is Tariq? Tariq has certainly left his mark in the Midlands. He took 16 wickets for Warwickshire in the T20 Blast this summer at an economy rate of 6.09. For Pakistan, meanwhile, he has already taken 18 T20 wickets at a cost of just 11. Retired India star Ravichandran Ashwin has used the controversy over Tariq’s pre-delivery pause to call for a fundamental change to cricket’s rules. He believes that bowlers who can bowl with both hands should be free to do so, believing it flies in the face of logic that batters are able to switch hit or reverse with impunity. Read more News: Sussex eye double transfer swoop as Hampshire offer veteran new contract Chris Stocks: The Ashes 2027 schedule is out – and gives England two big headaches Any change would only affect a small number of cricketers, although Glamorgan’s ambidextrous Ben Kellaway will be watching developments closely. For now, the headband-wearing former salesman will continue to find himself in headlines. You get the impression that is just the way Tariq likes it.