On Sunday, February 15, R. of Colombo. Suryakumar Yadav-led India will face Salman Ali Aga-led Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Premadasa Stadium. An important battle is expected in this contest between Team India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and Pakistan’s mystery option Usman Tariq.
R. Spin is expected to play a major role at the Premadasa Stadium. Zimbabwe’s bowlers had used smart variations to trouble Australia in the previous game at the same venue. They defended a total of 169 and won the match by 23 runs, sparking discussion about how India and Pakistan’s spinners might have benefited.
Major numbers of Varun Chakraborty and Usman Tariq
Varun Chakravarthy has been in great form, especially ahead of the 2024 World Cup. He is the leading wicket-taker among all Full Member bowlers in T20Is with 61 wickets at an average of 13.52.
In T20I matches, the game often turns in the middle overs (7 to 15). In all T20 matches since the start of 2024, Varun has taken a wicket every 12.3 balls, the best strike rate in the world for this stage.
Usman Tariq plays a different role for Pakistan. Although he has featured in fewer matches, he has been very effective in controlling runs. He has taken wickets at a strike rate of 13.37 and has given only 6.89 runs per over in the middle overs, which is less than Varun’s economy rate of 7.55.
Most wickets in T20Is since WC 2024 (among Full Member teams):
| player | Wicket | average | economy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Varun Chakraborty | 61 | 13.52 | 7.30 |
| jacob duffy | 50 | 16.56 | 7.86 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 47 | 16.93 | 6.61 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 47 | 13.85 | 6.73 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 44 | 17.61 | 7.45 |
Lowest strike rate in the middle overs (minimum 40 wickets at the stage) since 2024:
| player | strike rate | Turn | economy | average | Wicket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varun Chakraborty | 12.30 | 57 | 7.55 | 15.48 | 81 |
| Faheem Ashraf | 13.15 | 53 | 8.09 | 17.73 | 41 |
| Osman Tariq | 13.37 | 28 | 6.89 | 15.36 | 41 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 14.81 | 77 | 7.04 | 17.39 | 111 |
| adam zampa | 14.94 | 74 | 7.80 | 19.42 | 89 |
Varun Chakraborty vs Usman Tariq: Who is more dangerous?
Varun Chakraborty and Usman Tariq bring very different skills. The Indian spinner took three wickets for just seven runs in a two-over spell against Namibia. He also has the ability to perform in front of a packed crowd.
Varun bowls at sharp angles and a fast pace of around 95 kmph. His length prevents batsmen from either staying behind or moving forward with confidence.
Osman’s threat comes from his stop and drop actions. He breaks up the batsman’s timing by stopping mid-run-up before bowling the ball with a sling-style action. His low release point places the ball below the batsman’s eye line.
While Usman can be extremely uncomfortable to face due to his unorthodox approach, Varun’s current form, control and wicket-taking ability make him a more dangerous bowler.
Varun Chakraborty’s ideal height is – Sunil Joshi
Former Indian spinner Sunil Joshi said that it is difficult to attack Varun Chakraborty. He said that Varun bowls neither too short nor too full, which leaves the batsmen in a state of indecision.
“At such speeds and angles, length is more important. Varun has an ideal length. It is neither too short nor too long, so the batsman cannot step back comfortably and run out of confidence to play big shots,” Joshi was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Quetta Gladiators general manager Nabeel Hashmi said that Usman Tariq’s action allows him to keep the ball below the batsman’s eye line. This makes him extremely difficult to hit and makes him feel like facing a yorker on almost every ball.
“His action, the highlight of his bowling, allows him to keep the ball below the batsman’s eye line. So, it is not easy to hit him, it is almost like you are dealing with yorkers on every ball,” news agency PTI quoted Nabil Hashmi as saying.
Also Read: Suryakumar Yadav’s last great India vs Pakistan battle! Why could this clash define his T20 World Cup legacy?
