Watch: Usman Tariq, Unknown Mystery Spinner With Baseball Pitcher Action, Bowls Double-Wicket Over In PSL

The 2024 Pakistan Super League has unearthed a unique talent in the mystery spin of Usman Tariq, a slow bowler with just one professional appearance to his name prior to this year’s tournament.

Tariq, whose age is not listed on major cricket websites (including PCB), made his debut for Quetta Gladiators against Multan Sultans on Sunday (February 25), scoring in his fourth over. He conceded 27 goals. Otherwise, it’s at a high pace. Scoring problem.

Tariq retained his place in the Quetta eleven in the next match against Karachi Kings today (February 29). It didn’t take long for Tariq to register his first PSL wicket, with Tim Seifert taking the lead with the first delivery of the day. His day got even better before the over was over, when he took the wicket of James Vince five balls later. He first hit the ball outside the England batsman, then a ball turned away from the right-handed batsman, and then one. Take a traditional break in front of the stump.

It wasn’t just Tariq’s ability to spin the ball in both directions that caused problems. The PSL novice has a very unusual approach to the crease, where he can be seen staying almost completely still in the gather.

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Tariq will not make his professional debut until the end of 2023 and has played once in the National T20 Cup with Peshawar. On this occasion he was wicketless. So his double in the first over of the day became his first wicket in professional cricket.

Before playing for Peshawar, Tariq played several matches in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s second eleven in 2022, both T20 and red-ball matches. Tariq was brought in just before the tournament as a partial replacement for Wanindu Hasaranga, who will join the team during the tournament in Quetta.

Check out this action and run-up!

Usman Tariq takes his first PSL wicket in his third professional cricket match. #PSL2024Image. twitter.com/I6ynrVntpc

– Wisden (@WisdenCricket) 29. February 2024

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