Usman Tariq. Image Credits: AFPMystery spinner Usman Tariq was recently dropped from Pakistan’s T20I squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. The snub definitely hurt Tariq, as he shared a cryptic Instagram post about ‘ego’ and ‘silence.’The PCB officially unveiled a 15-member squad for Pakistan’s upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka and the following tri-series. In a major shake-up, Salman Agha was replaced as captain by Sahibzada Farhan.Usman Tariq hurt after Sri Lanka series snubApart from the captaincy change, Pakistan also dropped mystery spinner Usman Tariq from the squad. Despite being one of the team's more successful T20I bowlers, Tariq failed to find a space.Sufiyan Muqeem, a 24-year-old left arm wrist spinner, has effectively replaced him in the squad. Interestingly, shortly after the squad announcement, Tariq posted an Instagram Story saying: “The hardest part of wisdom is learning to STAY SILENT, When EGO wants to SPEAK.” Sheri. @CallMeSheri1_ Usman Tariq's Instagram Story. - Dropped from Pakistan's T20I squad. Oct 6, 2026, 9:37 AM While Usman Tariq didn’t directly address anybody, his message suggests that he is choosing not to publicly react to whatever he feels about the decision. For now, the PCB or any other official are yet to clarify what led to the mystery spinner’s sudden ouster from the T20I setup.ALSO READFull List Of Pakistan Squad Changes For Sri Lanka Series vs T20 World Cup 2026Usman Tariq’s numbers tell a different storyThe reason why Usman Tariq’s snub doesn’t make sense is the fact that he has actually been quite effective in T20Is for Pakistan. He has taken 18 wickets in 9 T20Is, with an economy rate around 6.66 and an average of 11.16.Moreover, in the 2026 T20 World Cup, Tariq picked up 10 wickets in 5 innings at an average of around 14, including a four-wicket-haul against Namibia. Even against India, he picked up 1 wicket for 24 runs.So, while his overall T20I record is strong, the selectors appear to have decided to make a clean break and bring in other options. Hence, for now, Usman Tariq has to swallow the bitter pill and work hard in domestic cricket to make a comeback into the Pakistan national team.ALSO READMichael Bracewell Signed Up By Melbourne Renegades For BBL 2026/27
