IND vs PAK, T20 World Cup: How India Batters Can Outsmart Usman Tariq’s Stop-Start Spin

Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 clash vs Pakistan, a look at how India’s batters could counter Usman Tariq’s stop-start spin — using the pull-away tactic, waiting for release, sharp footwork, and avoiding early slog-sweeps to handle his variations.

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India Batters vs Usman Tariq in IND vs PAK at T20 World Cup 2026

Team India prepares for the much-anticipated clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 against Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, February 15. However, the Men in Blue are aware of Usman Tariq’s unconventional stop-start spin bowling with a straight arm, for which the Pakistan spinner has often been accused of ‘chucking’.

Though India skipper Suryakumar Yadav downplayed the threat of Usman Tariq’s unconventional bowling style, stating, “There will be some questions that will be out of syllabus. We won’t skip that. Usman is unique, and we will not surrender to him. We have been practicing for him."

This highlights Team India’s intent to stay prepared and adaptable against unusual challenges rather than getting caught off guard. As the Men in Blue take on Pakistan in the marquee fixture of the T2 World Cup 2026, let’s take a look at how India batters can counter Usman Tariq’s stop-start spin.

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The ‘Pull Away’ Strategy

The batters often use a ‘pull away’ strategy if they are either not ready to face the bowler or want to disrupt him, stepping back slightly to assess line, length, pace, and movement before committing to a shot. The same strategy can be applied by the Indian batters when face stop-start spin bowler Usman Tariq. According to the ICC rules, a batter can withdraw from the crease if they are not ready or cannot predict the moment of the release by the bowler.

Since Usman Tariq’s bowling style is built around an unusual start-stop rhythm with a pause in his run-up and release, the batters can opt for withdrawing from the crease or stepping back slightly to read his variations and avoid being rushed into shot. This could place an immense psychological pressure on Tariq to alter his bowling style in the middle of the match, making it easier for batters to anticipate deliveries and create run-scoring opportunities.

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Wait for Actual Before Reacting to Pause

One of the strategies that can be applied by the batters is to avoid reacting to the pause by Usman Tariq in his run-up. Instead, they should wait for the ball to release from his hand before committing to a shot. This will prevent mistimed strokes or early foot movement, allowing batters to better judge their spin, variations, and pace while maintaining control over their innings.

Tariq may use his start-stop spin tactic to watch the batter’s feet and gauge their attention, trying to induce a false shot. By staying patient on his pause and focusing on his release, Indian batters can minimize the effectiveness of this mind game and pick the right scoring opportunities instead of going for rash and aggressive shots, which would lead to missed hits or wickets.

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Beat with Tariq with Footwork

Usman Tariq’s start-stop spin bowling is likely to be challenging for the left-handed batters as his variations and sudden changes in pace can deceive their timing. To encounter Tariq’s tricky deliveries, left-handers should use nimble footwork, advancing down the pitch stifle the spin and go back to create a room, ensuring that they meet the ball under their eyes and maintain control over run-scoring opportunities.

In the T20I series between Pakistan and Australia, Australian batters struggled against Usman Tariq’s spin, with the visitors being bowled out for 108 in the second T20I, exposing their difficulty in coping with slow, deceptive spin on turning surfaces. Since Colombo is expected to turn for spinners, Indian batters can prepare for similar challenges and prepare by using precise footwork while facing Tariq’s start-stop spin variations.

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Avoid Early Slog-Sweeps

Indian batters often resort to attacking from ball on and are tempted to play slog-sweeps or big cross-bat shots against any bowler. However, the slog-hitters need to be careful while facing Usman Tariq, as start-stop rhythm and subtle variations can easily deceive timing, leading to mistimed shorts or edges. Therefore, the batters should avoid big hits rather than prioritize strike rotation and clean contact to gather information on his variations.

Since Tariq uses his start-stop bowling action to disrupt a batter’s rhythm and force rash shots, Indian batters should focus on observing his hand, reading his variations, and playing with soft hands, prioritizing singles and strike rotation to build confidence before attempting big hits. This may have led to Usman Tariq changing his bowling action, creating additional opportunities for the batters to capitalize on misjudged deliveries and gradually dominating his spin, turning his mind games into scoring chances.