Usman Tariq starred for Pakistan with the ball in their game against the USA in the T20 World Cup on Tuesday. He finished with figures of 3/27 in his four overs, but unfortunately, more than his performance, his bowling action is being with many calling him ‘chucker’. Fans on social media are also claiming his bowling action to be illegal. However, former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has thrown his support behind the Pakistan spin bowler.
As far as his action is concerned, Usman Tariq has a visible bend in his arm when he stops in his run-up to deliver the ball. This has led to many questioning his bowling action. Another Indian cricketer Shreevats Goswami was among the players to call out his action, and compared it with football.
“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 wrote on X.
Ashwin argues over unfair rules for bowlers
However, Ravi Ashwin was quick to jump in to argue, stating how the rules have been unfair to bowlers. “Agree football doesn’t allow it! While the batter can be allowed to switch hit or reverse without informing the umpire or bowler, after him/her commits to start batting on one side, why are the restrictions only limited to the bowler? 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,” he wrote on X.
Ashwin also made a point later by explaining the rules and admitted that there is a grey area in the rules while backing Usman Tariq for utilising the same. “Okay, let me make it as clear as possible. Firstly, the legalities of his action can only be tested at an ICC bowling action testing Centre. Secondly, there is a 15° rule under which a bowler needs to keep his elbow and straighten it and to judge if a bowler is bowling within that 15° mark by the onfield Umpire is impossible.
“The only solution to that is having a real time in competition testing tool. The above is a grey area and to accuse someone for utilising the grey area is wrong. Finally, if the pause at the crease is legal or not, and that’s where I believe that it is entirely legal because that is his regular action,” Ashwin wrote on X.
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