Pakistani players and official pose for photograph with the trophy after winning the T20 series against Australia on the end of the third T20 cricket match between Pakistan and Australia, in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Recently retired Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has defended Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq after countryman and former teammate Cameron Green mocked the bowler for his action. Green, who was dismissed by Tariq in the second T20I international between Pakistan and Australia, was caught on cameras mimicking the action of Tariq.
Tariq, who was playing in only his third ever T20I, has a unique action. Green, after being dismissed, was seen on cameras mimicking a baseball throw, similar to how Tariq’s action is. The Pakistani bowler has been accused of ‘chucking’ the ball in the past and has been cleared twice. In an Instagram post, Khawaja defended him and said, “There aren’t many things worse than being called a chucker in cricket,” he said in the post. “The stigma is real. The man is just doing his best and has been cleared twice.
“Let’s have some perspective and understanding and stop jumping to conclusions,” he wrote.
In the past, Tariq has tried to explain his action and said that a biological issue is the reason behind his side-arm bowling style.
“There are two corners on my (elbow) which makes it hard for me to straighten,” he said to the National. “That makes confusion for the spectators. I have given two tests at labs in Pakistan. My action was cleared. As you can see from before, in history, when any spinner had allegations (of chucking) against them, they went to the lab. They tried to change their actions and develop the right degrees.
“When I went for the test, within one week, it was cleared. I didn’t get the answer that you have to change your action, or improve the degrees. I was confident about my action because I know that I am not throwing,” said Tariq.
Pakistan defeated a depleted Australian team in the second T20i on Sunday to take an unassailable lead. The defeat, a 90-run drubbing, was Australia’s biggest loss in the format in 21 years.
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