Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq has revealed that Sunil Narine personally contacted him and advised him to ignore batters questioning the legitimacy of his unconventional bowling action. Speaking in an interview with former Pakistan batter Fawad Alam, Tariq said the West Indies great spent nearly half an hour discussing the controversy with him. Narine, whose own action came under intense scrutiny during his career, encouraged Tariq to avoid responding publicly and instead allow his performances to answer the criticism.
“Sunil Narine called me, and we spoke for almost 30 minutes. He told me, ‘Whatever these people are doing, don’t respond to them. They’re only doing this because they can’t pick you. Just keep doing what you’re doing’,” Tariq said.
Tariq explained that Narine believed the gestures from opposition batters were born out of frustration, particularly because they were generally made only after the players had been dismissed.
“Narine called me just two days ago and discussed the issue for almost 30 minutes. He advised me not to respond to such gestures and to continue doing whatever has been working for me,” Tariq said.
“He said their actions were a result of frustration as they were unable to pick me, and all of their gestures came after I dismissed them, not when they were still batting. He explained that he was just passing on his experience, as he had also been through that phase in his career.”
Tim David gesture reignited Usman Tariq action controversy
Questions surrounding Tariq’s action resurfaced during the 2026 edition of The Hundred when Australian batter Tim David appeared to signal a no-ball after being dismissed by the Pakistan spinner. Playing for Trent Rockets against Birmingham Phoenix, David edged Tariq behind but gestured towards the officials while walking off, seemingly questioning whether the delivery had been bowled with a legal action. The dismissal stood, with the on-field officials taking no action against Tariq.
David was not the first batter to react publicly to Tariq’s unusual method. Cameron Green had previously mimicked a throwing motion after being dismissed by him during a T20I between Australia and Pakistan. Tom Banton also appeared to imitate Tariq’s action during the International League T20. Daryl Mitchell, meanwhile, repeatedly pulled away from facing Tariq during a Pakistan Super League match, apparently objecting to the prolonged pause in the spinner’s delivery stride rather than formally challenging the legality of his arm movement.
Tariq’s action includes a pronounced pause before release and an unusual bend in his bowling arm. He has explained that he was born with an elbow joint that prevents him from fully straightening the arm, creating the visual impression that he is throwing the ball. The action has been reported and officially tested twice. Tariq was cleared on both occasions, with biomechanical assessments finding that the extension of his elbow remained within cricket’s permitted limit.
Also Read: Tim David reignites Usman Tariq ‘chucking’ row after dismissal, joins growing list questioning Pakistan spinner’s action
“I have been tested two times. It has been cleared within one week. No one told me that you’re having some degrees of flex which are making you illegal,” Tariq had said earlier.
Despite the repeated scrutiny, Narine’s message was straightforward: do not become distracted by the reactions of batters who are struggling to read him. For Tariq, the advice carries particular weight because it comes from a spinner who endured similar questions and still became one of the most influential white-ball bowlers of his generation.