Former umpire Anil Chaudhary confirms Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq’s bowling action as ‘legal’

Anil Chaudhary (Photo by Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

Former international umpire Anil Chaudhary has broken his silence on the controversy around Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq’s bowling action, confirming that it is well within the laws of the game. His clarification comes after Tariq’s action grabbed attention during Pakistan’s recent T20I series against Australia.

The controversy around Tariq’s bowling action flared up during the second T20I against Australia when Cameron Green, after being dismissed by the spinner, was seen making gestures that were widely interpreted as accusing Tariq of ‘chucking’. The incident, captured on live television, quickly went viral and triggered old suspicions about Tariq’s unusual side-arm action. While no official complaint was lodged by the Australian team or match officials.

Addressing the issue, Chaudhary shared a video on his social media account after reviewing footage of Tariq’s bowling. The former umpire stated that while Tariq’s action appears different, it remains legal under ICC guidelines. Chaudhary explained that the spinner’s slightly side-on action and noticeable pause at the crease might look unconventional, but consistency in delivery is a factor in determining legality.

It is different, and he bowls with a pause: Chaudhary 

According to Chaudhary, Tariq delivers all his balls in the same manner and shows no visible bending or straightening of the elbow beyond the permitted limit. Under ICC regulations, a bowling action is deemed illegal only if the elbow extension exceeds 15 degrees during the delivery stride.

“I have received a video regarding Usman Tariq’s bowling action. 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 the video.

Support for Tariq also came from former Australian batter Usman Khawaja, who revealed the emotional and professional damage caused by chucking allegations. Khawaja pointed out that Tariq’s action has already been tested and cleared twice, requesting fans to show perspective rather than jumping to conclusions. Notably, this is not the first time Tariq’s action has come under the scanner. During the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Pakistan Super League, he was reported on two occasions but was subsequently cleared after biomechanical testing. Tariq himself has previously explained that the natural structure of his elbow creates an optical illusion, leading to misunderstandings.

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