T20 World Cup 2026: India vs Pakistan is just a normal game for me, more pressure will be on them, says Usman Tariq

Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq believes the pressure will be firmly on India to handle him when the two sides meet in their much-anticipated T20 World Cup 2026 clash on February 15. The off-spinner, known for his unusual bowling action featuring a prolonged pause before release, made an immediate impact in his maiden World Cup appearance by picking up three wickets against the USA.

Pakistan had been expected to unleash Usman straightaway against India but instead opted to play him in their fixture against the USA

on Tuesday. That decision saw Pakistan take the field with four frontline spinners, with all-rounder Saim Ayub supplementing the attack and Shaheen Shah Afridi operating as the lone specialist pacer. The gamble paid off, with Usman’s spell playing a key role in Pakistan’s win.

However, his performance once again triggered debate among Indian fans regarding the legality of his bowling action. Usman has previously been reported twice for a suspected bent elbow but has since been cleared by the International Cricket Council. Addressing the discussion surrounding his action, Usman suggested that the focus on the issue could work against arch-rivals India.

“I guess, there will be extra pressure on them. Because, the way they’re discussing these things, I think, if they’re just discussing it in that sense, meaning, they’re just objecting on that, it shows that, maybe, there will be extra pressure on them. But, I don’t know about it. I’m really focusing on my games. I don’t have any idea what’s going around in the media and stuff. It’s a simple thing that I’m just focusing on my cricket and practice,” Usman said as quoted by The Indian Express.

Despite the build-up around the India versus Pakistan encounter, the tall off-spinner played down the significance of the fixture, urging his side to remain grounded and focused on execution rather than hype.

“I think the record that we note down, I guess we should note it down from where we started losing. If you look at it from the beginning, then we have a good record from the beginning. So we should count also that. Because those are also the title matches," the right-arm off-spinner added.

And apart from that, the match that is coming next, it’s like, obviously, all of us are focusing on one thing, that any game comes to us, any game to play, we have to give our best. And in this way, we have to win this World Cup. And just make it memorable for everyone. So it’s just a normal game for me, for the team. Because, when you’re just getting that hype, or that kind of thing on your mind, obviously, it’s better to keep it simple. And just stick to the plans, that’s it,” he said.

With the Men in Green already off to a strong start in the tournament, Usman’s emergence adds another dimension to their spin-heavy strategy as they prepare for one of the biggest fixtures in the twenty-team event.