New Delhi

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has publicly backed Pakistan bowler Usman Tariq, whose unconventional bowling action has sparked debate following Pakistan’s victory over the United States on Tuesday.

Tariq returned figures of three wickets for 27 runs as Pakistan secured a 32-run win, their second consecutive victory in the tournament. However, his bowling action — marked by a noticeable pause in the run-up and a side-arm release — drew criticism on social media, with several observers questioning its legality.

Responding to the backlash, Ashwin took to X to clarify the laws surrounding bowling actions. He stressed that the legality of any bowling action can only be determined through testing at an ICC-accredited bowling action testing centre.

“There is a 15-degree allowance for elbow extension, and it is practically impossible for on-field umpires to judge this in real time. That’s why laboratory testing exists. Calling out a bowler for operating in this grey area is unfair,” Ashwin wrote.

He further stated that the pause in Tariq’s delivery stride should not be deemed illegal if it is part of the bowler’s established action. “As far as the pause at the crease is concerned, I believe it is completely within the laws, provided it is his regular action,” he added.

Earlier, former Indian domestic cricketer Shreevats Goswami had raised objections to Tariq’s pause during the run-up, comparing it to football rules that prohibit players from stopping during penalty kicks.

“Even football doesn’t allow a pause in the run-up anymore. Action is fine, but stopping while loading to deliver? This shouldn’t be allowed,” Goswami posted.

Ashwin responded by highlighting what he sees as an imbalance between restrictions placed on bowlers and freedoms granted to batters. He pointed out that batters are permitted to play switch hits or reverse shots without prior notice, while bowlers must inform umpires even to change their bowling arm.

“If batters can change their stance mid-delivery, why are restrictions imposed only on bowlers? That’s the rule that needs revisiting first,” Ashwin said.

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Pakistan are scheduled to face India in their next Group A match in Colombo on Sunday, a highly anticipated clash between the two rivals.