In a significant development at the Gaddafi Stadium, mystery spinner Usman Tariq has been left out of the Pakistan Playing XI for the third and final T20I against Australia today, February 1, 2026.
The omission comes less than 24 hours after a viral incident where Australian all-rounder Cameron Green made a “chucking” gesture following his dismissal by Tariq in the second match.
While the Pakistan team management has framed the changes as part of a rotation strategy, bringing in veteran Fakhar Zaman and pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi to finalize combinations for the T20 World Cup, the timing of Tariq’s exclusion has set the cricketing world abuzz.
Fans and analysts are questioning whether the intense social media scrutiny and Green’s public accusation influenced the decision to sideline the spinner.
The Controversy
The drama began in the 11th over of the 2nd T20I when Green, having been deceived by Tariq’s unusual pause-and-sling delivery, mimicked a baseball throwing motion on his way to the dugout.
The gesture was a direct challenge to the legality of Tariq’s action, which has been cleared twice by the PCB but remains a point of contention for international batters.
Tariq did not take the accusation quietly. On Sunday morning, he reportedly posted a video of a crying child on Instagram with the caption “After getting out,” seemingly mocking Green’s frustration.
Despite this display of confidence, his absence from the series finale suggests the PCB might be opting for a “cooling-off” period to avoid further global scrutiny just days before the World Cup begins.
Tactical Omission or Damage Control?
Official sources indicate that with the series already won (2-0), Pakistan is using the 3rd T20I to test their primary World Cup XI. The return of Shaheen Shah Afridi and the inclusion of Fakhar Zaman at the top order meant that at least one spinner had to make way.
Abrar Ahmed, who has been the standout performer of the series, retained his spot, leaving Tariq as the logical choice to sit out.
However, There are speculations “Cameron Green effect” is undeniable. By removing Tariq from the spotlight today, the PCB avoids the risk of the match officials or the ICC match referee taking formal notice of the action during the broadcast, which could lead to a mid-tournament suspension.
After the toss, Salman Ali Agha remarked, “We have five world-class spinners in this squad,” emphasizing the depth of Pakistan’s slow-bowling resources.
Agha avoided addressing the controversy directly. Instead of providing a tactical reason for dropping the spinner, he simply stated that the returning players were “back in the squad” to finalize combinations.
3rd T20I: Revised Pakistan Playing XI
Saim Ayub
Fakhar Zaman
Salman Ali Agha (c)
Babar Azam
Khawaja Nafay (wk)
Shadab Khan
Mohammad Nawaz
Faheem Ashraf
Shaheen Shah Afridi (In for Usman Tariq)
Naseem Shah
Abrar Ahmed
