VIDEO: Naseem Shah, Shaheen recreate Usman Tariq's action in nets

In a viral clip from Pakistan’s net session ahead of their big T20 World Cup 2026 game against India, both pace stars — Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi — were seen playfully mimicking the unusual bowling action of Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq during practice.

The pacers tried to recreate his distinctive “stop-start” style while bowling to teammate Usman Tariq, apparently just for fun and to lighten the mood in camp.

This comes amid plenty of buzz around Tariq’s quirky bowling action — which has drawn attention for its unique timing and rhythm — with players on both sides seemingly acknowledging it in net sessions.

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq left his cricket ambitions back home to start a salesman’s job in Dubai, before a biopic about India great Mahendra Singh Dhoni changed his life.

The unusual bowling action of the double-jointed spinner has created plenty of chatter in his first T20 World Cup, and now he goes into Sunday’s revived clash against India as one of Pakistan’s main weapons.

His inspiration was born in India and Tariq admits if he had not watched the 2016 Bollywood movie “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story” he might not be playing cricket today.

Based on the life of India’s World Cup-winning captain, the movie told a tale of grit, rejection and eventual glory — and made Tariq believe it was never too late to chase his ambition.

Tariq, now 30, left Dubai and roamed around the world to mature as a mystery spinner.

Pakistan skipper Salman Agha insisted Tariq will be a special weapon when his side face their arch-rivals, after being cleared to play after an Islamabad government U-turn after initially ordering a boycott of the India match.