• Source:JND

T20 World Cup 2026: Usman Tariq had taken three wickets against the USA. Pakistan became the table toppers of Group A. But still, the discussion after the match was not about the win but his bowling action.

Social media went berserk owing to chucking accusations in their match in the T20 World Cup in Colombo. This time, the debate wasn't just about the comments section. It also led to an exchange between Shreevats Goswami, R Ashwin, and Aakash Chopra.

Goswami started this debate.

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He didn't just slam Tariq's elbow extension. But he also questioned the pause before bowling.

“Even football doesn’t allow players to pause during a penalty run-up anymore. How is this ok? Action — all good. But pause? That too while loading to deliver. This can’t be continued seriously," Sreewats had written on his X account.

Then Ashwin entered the conversation.

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He did agree with the football comparison, but changed the argument completely.

“Agree, football doesn’t allow it. While the batter can switch-hit or reverse without informing the umpire or bowler… why are the restrictions limited only to the bowler?" Ashwin had written.

And then came the mic-drop.

“In fact, the bowler isn’t allowed to change the arm with which he/she bowls without informing the umpire. They should first change that rule."

Classic Ashwin, zooming out from one action to question the entire balance of cricket’s laws.

Then Aakash Chopra joined the party.

Backing Ashwin’s broader stance, Chopra said the “pause" was “absolutely fine." But he had a technical teaser for Ashwin:

“If there’s no momentum generated by the run-up, is it possible to increase your pace by 20-25 km/h on certain deliveries without bending the arm?"

And just like that, the conversation shifted from outrage to biomechanics.

As a reminder, Tariq has already been cleared twice by the ICC. His elbow extension is within the 15-degree limit. He’s even explained his naturally bent arm as a biological condition.

But legality aside, the Ashwin-Goswami-Chopra triangle has ensured that this debate isn’t going away anytime soon. 


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