Shaheen, Naseem mock India [Source: X]The India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match is still a few hours away, and the buzz has reached its peak as the greatest cricketing rivalry will write a new chapter in Colombo tonight. Both teams are coming into this game on the back of successive victories and will be riding high on confidence.Normally, a cricketing fixture is never about an individual as it is a team sport, and the collective performance determines a result. However, the India vs Pakistan group stage clash is all about how the Indian batters will tackle Pakistan’s mystery bowler, Usman Tariq.Pakistan duo mimic Tariq's actions to play mind games with IndiaThe spin-bowler has a tricky action to pick as he stops before delivering the ball. He holds the key for Pakistan in this all-important clash, and the Men in Blue have practiced for him with Suryakumar Yadav mimicking his actions in the nets.While Indian players are busy countering the Tariq threat, Pakistani cricketers are busy insulting their opponents and have started playing mind games before the contest. Ahead of the contest, Pakistan players, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, are deliberately mimicking Usman Tariq’s actions as a way to get the mystery bowler inside the Indian batters’ minds. In a video that has gone viral, the duo is looking at the Indian camp as they bowl, much like Tariq does, seemingly indicating that the Men in Blue need to be wary of him.Cricket Room @cricketroom_ Shaheen Afridi and Naseem shah 😂 #PakVsInd Feb 15, 2026, 1:34 PM Why so much fuss about Usman Tariq?For starters, Tariq came into the limelight for his exceptional performances in the CPL 2025 event. He finished the tournament with 20 wickets in 10 matches, with an economy of just 7.31 as he looked threatening throughout the competition.What makes him threatening is the fact that he has a unique bowling action, which is sometimes difficult to read. He has a slingy action like Malinga, and the Pakistan bowler stops on his runup before delivering the ball.In the ongoing T20 World Cup, Tariq was unleashed against the USA, and the Pakistan star delivered the goods, taking 3 wickets for 27 runs as the opponent had no clue about his variety. This is why the Indian batters need to be wary of him.The Men in Blue have a plethora of left-handed batters, and Tariq has the ability to drift the ball away from them, thus bringing outside-edge and stumping in the equation.How India is preparing for the Tariq challengeIndia and Pakistan collided three times last year in the T20Is, and Suryakumar Yadav’s boys have played all Pakistan bowlers, barring one, Usman Tariq. The reigning T20 World champions have an idea about all the other bowlers, but for them, Tariq remains a mystery.Hence, to counter his threat, Indian captain, Suryakumar Yadav turned Tariq in the nets as he mimicked his actions, and the batters got an idea about how the Pakistan bowler is going to bowl at them in the T20 World Cup clash.
