The Chucking Incident

In the game of cricket, bowlers have their own unique way to bowl. It's a different manner to bowl fast, medium or spin. The variations must adhere to the ICC's rule of elbow extension when they release the bowl.

In the T20 series between Pakistan and Australia, a latter's all-rounder, Cameron Green, accused a Pakistani bowler of chucking the bowl. This has garnered media attention.

Cameron Green was left fuming at the bowling style of Pakistan spinner, Usman Tariq, as the tourists suffered a 90-run defeat in a pre-World Cup T20 international in Lahore.

Hours after their squad for the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka was announced, Mitch Marsh's side, featuring nine of the Cup squad and looking badly in need of their absent big guns, simply couldn't cope with the hosts' five-pronged spin attack.

Sitting alongside Australia's second poor outing in as many matches in Pakistan was Green's reaction to the unconventional bowling style of Tariq. After being dismissed during Australia's failed run chase, Green unflatteringly mimicked Tariq's side-arm, slinging delivery method.

The unique nature of Tariq's bowling may attract the interest of the ICC, leading into the T20 World Cup, which starts on 7 Feburary.

Losing the three-match series after just the second game was hardly the way Marsh would've wanted them to warm up for the tournament; which starts for the Aussies against Ireland in Colombo in 11 days.

"Pakistan outplayed us. Hopefully, we can improve and come back tomorrow," conceded the skipper, suggesting things will be different once the rest of his cavalry arrives. "We have got experienced guys who know that partnerships are really important in run-chases. We were not able to do that today. So some really good lessons," he said.

Xavier Bartlett, who was hit for 52 runs with the ball, is keen for a quick response. "You've got to give credit where credit's due. Pakistan played unbelievable, with both bat and ball, but we're better for the run and hopefully we can at least make the series 2-1 tomorrow."

After Salman Agha had won the toss and opted to lead from the front for the hosts, hammering 76 off 40 balls with four thumping sixes; wicketkeeper, Usman Khan, kept up the pressure with a 35-ball half-century.

Bartlett (1-52) went at 13 an over and Matt Kuhnemann's spin (1-40) was deposited for 10 an over, with experienced legspinner Adam Zampa once again the pick of the Australian attack with his 1-27, while Cooper Connolly (1-30) also did well.

Zampa snared Babar Azam lbw for just two to continue the concerns in Pakistan about their batting hero's lean run.

Chasing 199 always looked a tough task and once Abrar Ahmed, the spinner nicknamed Harry Potter for his wizardry, trapped Marsh lbw in the third over before Saim Ayub (1-32) bowled Travis Head the very next ball with one that kept low, it soon felt hopeless.

Abrar (3-14) then got Josh Inglis (five) with a devilish wrong 'un the next over, with only Cameron Green's sixth-over assault on Ayub, with two sixes and a four, giving a flicker of hope before Matt Renshaw was trapped lbw by Mohammad Nawaz for just two and Cooper Connolly was skittled by Shadab Khan (3-26) for one.

Once Green (35 off 20) was dismissed by Tariq (2-16), only Matt Short, fresh from the disappointment of being left out of the World Cup squad, was able to mount any kind of last stand with his 27 off 23 balls.

The cricket world remains divided over the eyebrow raising bowling technique of Pakistan’s Usman Tariq. Tariq was thrust into the spotlight on Saturday after Australia’s Cameron Green performed a “chucking” gesture after he was dismissed in the second T20 clash.

Green’s act of suggesting Tariq had been throwing the ball is not the first time complaints have been made against the 28-year-old spinner. Tariq has twice been reported for a suspected illegal action while representing the Quetta Gladiators during the Pakistan Super League 2024 and 2025 seasons.

On the first occasion he was reported by umpires, Asif Yaqoob and Richard Illingworth, while last year he was cited by match officials, Ahsan Raza and Chris Brown. Having twice undergone biomechanical testing at Lahore’s National Cricket Academy, experts on both occasions cleared Tariq’s action and he was permitted to continue bowling in the T20 tournament.

Under ICC regulations, a bowling action is deemed illegal if a player’s elbow extends by more than 15 degrees during the delivery stride, which starts from the point where the bowling arm reaches horizontal until the ball is released. Crucially, any natural elbow hyperextension is discounted when assessing legality.

Despite being cleared, countless cricket lovers believe Tariq is bending the laws and should be stood down from the team. Former leading ICC umpire, Richard Kettleborough, posted on X on Sunday morning that Tariq is "in big trouble."

Another added: "Never Saw someone Chucking like this at International level as Usman Tariq. We wouldn’t have played him in our local gully tournament with that action." A third wrote: "Cleared by ICC, YES. But testing was done in Pakistan. Better test him outside of Pakistan so that we can have fair and unbiased examinations."

Tariq spoke out over the accusations surrounding the legitimacy of his bowling, showing off his elbow and explaining the issues he has with his arm. "There are two corners on my (elbow) which makes it hard for me to straighten," he said to The National.

"That makes confusion for the spectators. I have given two tests at labs in Pakistan. My action was cleared. As you can see from before, in history, when any spinner had allegations (of chucking) against them, they went to the lab. They tried to change their action and develop the right degrees."

"When I went for the test, within one week, it was cleared. I didn’t get the answer that you have to change your action, or improve the degrees. I was confident about my action because I know that I am not throwing. I would love to give a message on this platform that every single person who is commenting on these things, they should study first about cricket, then they should go for the allegations."

"If you don’t have knowledge about cricket and you are just commenting or sharing your thoughts, then illiteracy can kill knowledge. It is better to have knowledge, then after you can comment on anyone."

Cameron Green has seemingly apologised to Usman Tariq after accusing the spinner of chucking during Saturday’s second T20 in Lahore, while former Aussie, Usman Khawaja, has thrown his weight behind the Pakistan bowler.

The hosts sealed a crushing 90-run victory at Gaddafi Stadium after the Australians were rolled for 108 in 15.4 overs, with all ten wickets falling to spin. It was Australia’s heaviest T20I defeat in 21 years, with Pakistan taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

During the 11th over of the run chase, Green miscued a wide delivery from Tariq towards point and dismissed for 35 to leave the Australians in trouble at 76-6. Upon returning to the dugout, Green mimicked a baseball throwing motion, seemingly accusing the Pakistan spinner of chucking.

Tariq, playing his third T20I, finished with figures of 2-16 from 2.4 overs, also dismissing Australian tailender, Matthew Kuhnemann, while there is currently no indication the Australian team or umpires lodged a format complaint into the 30-year-old’s bowling action.

On Sunday morning, Tariq appeared to mock Green by uploading footage of a crying child to Instagram, captioning the post, "After getting out," alongside a laughing emoji. The following day, he posted, "Apology accepted," to the social media platform, suggesting Green had apologised to the Pakistan tweaker.

Pakistan captain, Salman Ali Agha, also criticised Green’s behaviour during Sunday’s post-match press conference, telling reporters: "It’s not his job, it’s the responsibility of the match referee and the umpires."

On Monday, Khawaja defended Tariq in an Instagram story, calling for cricket fans to not race toward final judgements. "There aren’t many things worse than being called a chucker in cricket," he said in the post. "The stigma is real. The man is just doing his best and been cleared twice. Let’s have some perspective and understanding and stop jumping to conclusions."

Tariq’s bowling action is unorthodox; after pausing at the point of delivery, coming to a near-complete halt, he produces off-breaks with a slinging action and a pronounced bend in his arm. He has played in multiple T20 domestic leagues since making his professional debut in 2023, including the Caribbean Premier League and the United Arab Emirates’ ILT20; while he has tallied eight T20I wickets at 7.50 with an impressive economy rate of 5.62.

Having twice undergone biomechanical testing at Lahore’s National Cricket Academy, experts on both occasions cleared Tariq’s action and he was permitted to continue bowling in the T20 tournament.

Last year, Tariq explained the bent arm in his bowling action was due to a physical condition, his apparent double-jointed elbow, dismissing allegations of chucking. "I do have two elbows in my arm. My arm bends naturally," he told MYK Sports.

"I have got this tested and cleared. Everyone feels I bend my arms and all that. My bent arm is a biological issue."

However, throwing accusations continued to follow Tariq, with his bowling action once again coming under scrutiny following Pakistan’s four-wicket victory over South Africa in November. Later that month, he was named player of the match after taking career-best figures of 4-18 against Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi, including a hat-trick.

Speaking to The National during last month’s ILT20, when England’s cricketer, Tom Banton, accused him of an illegal action, Tariq hit back at "illiterate" cricket fans that continued to question the legitimacy of his bowling.

"There are two corners on my (elbow) which makes it hard for me to straighten," he said. "That makes confusion for the spectators. I have given two tests at labs in Pakistan. My action was cleared. As you can see from before, in history, when any spinner had allegations (of chucking) against them, they went to the lab. They tried to change their action and develop the right degrees."

"When I went for the test, within one week, it was cleared. I didn’t get the answer that you have to change your action, or improve the degrees. I was confident about my action because I know that I am not throwing. I would love to give a message on this platform that every single person who is commenting on these things, they should study first about cricket, then they should go for the allegations."

"If you don’t have knowledge about cricket and you are just commenting or sharing your thoughts, then illiteracy can kill knowledge. It is better to have knowledge, then after you can comment on anyone."

Tariq isn’t the only Pakistani cricketer that Australian cricketers have accused of chucking. In 2022, fast bowler, Mohammad Hasnain, was twice mocked by Australian players for a suspect bowling action, by Sydney Sixers captain, Moises Henriques, during a Big Bash League match and by all-rounder, Marcus Stoinis, in a Hundred contest.

In February of that year, Hasnain was banned from bowling after biomechanical testing in Lahore confirmed his action was illegal and was forced to undergo remedial work on his bowling. Elsewhere, Australian spinner Kuhnemann was cited for a suspect bowling action during last year’s Test tour of Sri Lanka but cleared of any wrongdoing after undergoing an independent bowling assessment at Brisbane National Cricket Centre in Brisbane.

In 2020, Cricket Australia banned Sydney Thunder all-rounder, Chris Green, from bowling for 90 days due to an illegal bowling action after being reported by umpires in the BBL.

Former international umpire, Anil Chaudhary, has come out in support of Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq who has been under fire for his unusual bowling action. Tariq’s action garnered widespread attention recently after Australia all-rounder Cameron Green suggested that the spinner was chucking.

Chaudhary, who runs an Instagram account with 7.6 lakh followers, explained that Tariq’s action was different from others but seemed legal to him.

"If you look at his action, it is slightly side-on and a bit different, and he bowls with a slight pause. However, since he delivers all his balls in the same manner, and in his arm there is no bending and straightening as per the guidelines, the action is absolutely fine. It is different and he bowls with a pause, but he delivers all balls in the same way. In my opinion, his action is fair and this is a fair delivery," Chaudhary said in a video on his Instagram handle.

Pakistan claimed a whitewash as they defeated Australia by 111 runs in the third and final T20I.

To me, cricketers are just afraid of new variants of bowling. When they feel this way, they act out in a way that makes them feel comfortable and at ease. All cricketers need to come to terms with the new ways that bowlers bowl. It's childish to mimic and mock the action made.