Former head coach of Pakistan Mohammad Hafeez said that Pakistan has an edge over India before the T20 World Cup match. Hafeez said that the growing talk about spinner Usman Tariq has made the Indian camp uneasy and has given Pakistan a psychological advantage even before the ball is bowled.
India on Sunday, 15 February at Colombo’s R. All set to face Pakistan at Premadasa Stadium. Due to widespread discussion about Tariq’s bowling action, attention has drawn towards him. The focus has been on his brief pause before the release and the condition of his elbow, adding additional intrigue to the build-up.
People are only talking about Usman Tariq- Former head coach of Pakistan Mohammad Hafeez
Mohammad Hafeez said that the discussion regarding Tariq has created pressure within the Indian camp. He said that India is focusing completely on Tariq and is also doing special practice sessions to prepare for his bowling.
Hafeez said, “If we go from the cricket aspect, the hype created around Usman Tariq is another psychological victory for us. At the moment, no one is talking about Babar Azam or any other player.”
“People are only talking about Usman Tariq. He has played just one or two matches for Pakistan, but just imagine how much terror he has created in the Indian camp. They have been practicing specifically against him in their sessions.”
They are not thinking only about the result of the match – Mohammad Hafeez
Hafeez said that the discussion is no longer just about the result of the match. He said that such a spotlight on a player shows how much influence and pressure he has already generated.
Hafeez said, “How many times have you seen so much discussion about just one player? The whole media, the promotion, the world – they are not only thinking about the match result, but also about what Usman Tariq will do tomorrow.”
In the press conference before the match, both the captains were asked about Tariq. Tariq has played only four T20 matches for Pakistan, but has already taken 11 wickets at an average of 7.90, with a best performance of 4/18.
Suryakumar Yadav was seen bowling spin during the net session on Saturday 14th February. Mimicking Tariq’s action closely, he paused for a moment before releasing the ball.
You need an aggressive mindset when you use Tariq – Mohammad Hafeez
Mohammad Hafeez said that Tariq has the mentality to change matches for Pakistan. He said that Salman Ali Aga should use Tariq as an attacking weapon, as a defensive approach would reduce his impact, especially in important overs.
“Now I want to see how many positive decisions Salman Aga takes as captain and how he uses Usman Tariq. If he uses him defensively, nothing will work for Pakistan. You need an attacking mindset when you use Tariq. It could also be the sixth over, which I believe is always a very important over for a bowling unit – usually bowled by your most dominant bowler.”
Hafeez said, “I want to see what they plan with Usman Tariq, because if he is used in the attacking zone, I think he will be very effective. I am not saying that Abrar, Nawaz or Shadab will not make a difference, but right now all the focus is on Usman Tariq.”
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