‘Why only bowlers?’ R Ashwin defends Pakistan's Usman Tariq as action debate explodes at T20 World Cup

NEW DELHI: Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq once again found himself at the centre of a fierce debate over his bowling action after his match-winning performance against the United States in the 2026 T20 World Cup, with veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin stepping in to defend bowlers amid mounting criticism online.

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Tariq’s distinctive “pause-and-deliver” action sparked a fresh wave of “chucking” accusations on social media despite the ICC having cleared his action twice last year.





“Even football doesn’t allow players to pause during a penalty run-up anymore. How is this ok? Action — all good. But pause? That too while loading to deliver. This can’t be continued seriously,” Goswami posted.



Ashwin, however, offered a different perspective, agreeing with the football analogy but arguing that cricket’s regulations often place disproportionate restrictions on bowlers. “Agree football doesn’t allow it! While the batter can switch-hit or reverse without informing the umpire or bowler, after committing to bat on one side, why are the restrictions only limited to the bowler?” Ashwin wrote on social media. “In fact, the bowler isn’t allowed to change the arm with which he/she bowls without informing the umpire. They should first change that rule.”

Under ICC rules, a bowler’s elbow extension must not exceed 15 degrees between the arm reaching horizontal and the point of release — a guideline frequently referenced in online criticism of Tariq. The spinner has previously addressed the scrutiny, insisting that his arm bend is natural.




Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.