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Legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram has lavished high praise on off-spinner Usman Tariq, calling him Pakistan’s surprise package for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The mega event will be played from 7 February to 8 March in Sri Lanka and India.
Wasim, who was part of the commentary panel in the recently concluded International League T20 (ILT20), praised Usman’s bowling skills.
“He is a wonderful bowler, and I hope Pakistan use him in the T20 World Cup because nobody has played against him,” Akram said.
He also recalled how Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis burst onto the scene in 2008 when batters had no idea what he was doing.
“If you remember, Sri Lanka’s Ajanta Mendis came in 2008, nobody had a clue what he was doing.”
“If the selectors are monitoring him, he could be very useful on Sri Lankan wickets,” he said.
For the unversed, Usman Tariq, who has so far played two T20Is for Pakistan, has made headlines for his unconventional bowling action.
He was roped in as a replacement for Afghanistan’s Noor Ahme,d and he made an immediate impact with the ball during the business end of the tournament.
Usman was instrumental in Desert Vipers’ qualification for the final, scalping 3 wickets in the Qualifier.
His spell also included the notable wicket of Tom Banton, who pointed out Tariq’s action after getting dismissed.
Nevertheless, Usman Tariq backed his Qualifier performance in the final with a clinical four-over spell, snaring two wickets while giving away only 20.
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