Pakistani Spinner Usman Tariq Credits MS Dhoni Biopic for His Return to Cricket and T20 World Cup Debut

Colombo. Usman Tariq moved to Dubai in 2015 in search of a good job. Having lost his father before the age of four, he was the sole earning member of his family, which forced him to decide to quit playing cricket. 

The tall and well-built young man from Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who initially bowled both spin and seam, eventually settled into a stable job as a Purchase Coordinator at a real estate company in Dubai.

However, towards the end of 2016, Tariq watched the film 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story,' based on the life of former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Tariq, standing 6 feet 1 inch tall, was deeply moved by Dhoni's story. 

The way Dhoni made a breakthrough in cricket while working as a ticket collector in Indian Railways deeply influenced Tariq. Following this, he resolved to return to cricket with full dedication and work hard. As a result, today he is representing Pakistan in the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup.

Speaking in Colombo on Tuesday, Tariq said, 'I returned to cricket only after watching the Dhoni film. After watching that film, I felt our stories were similar. I was also working a job, and he (Dhoni) was too. I realized that an ordinary person had created history here. I am also an ordinary person. Perhaps I can follow the same path, but like others, I will have to work very hard. I returned to cricket solely because of MS Dhoni.'

His hard work paid off. After successful performances in various franchise leagues such as the CPL, PSL, and ILT-20 over the past few years, Tariq got the opportunity to wear the Pakistan jersey in the T20 series against Australia last January. He made his T20 World Cup debut against the USA, taking 3 wickets.

He was the center of attention on the eve of the tournament's most talked-about match (against India). Since the Australia series, many eyes have been on his bowling action, and before the match against India, fans, media, and former players commented extensively on his bowling style and variations.

Tariq, however, was not distracted by all these things. He stated that the process was the main thing for him. He enjoyed the discussion surrounding his bowling, during which opposing players even attempted to imitate his action. 

Suryakumar Yadav did something similar the day before the match against India. He said, 'The fact that opposing teams are preparing on how to face Usman Tariq is a good sign for me. The special preparation being made to play against me gives me more confidence. I am enjoying every moment.'

Tariq showed great composure at the R. Premadasa Stadium, where 90 percent of the spectators were supporting India. While experienced players like Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, and Abrar Ahmed appeared under pressure, Tariq tried to keep Pakistan in the game. Although he conceded 10 runs in his second over, he only gave away 6, 4, and 5 runs in the remaining overs. 

In the 19th over of the innings, he took the crucial wicket of Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav. He celebrated that wicket in his trademark style, reflecting respect and humility. A return of 4-0-25-1 against the most dangerous team in this T20 World Cup is considered very good.

However, Tariq stated that if he got to play that match again, he would play slightly differently.

'The India-Pakistan match is watched by both countries and the entire world. To be honest, I took this match as a big opportunity where I could make a name for myself. I tried my best from my side. Personally, I felt I couldn't be as excellent as I thought. If I get a chance to play such a match again, I want to do better.'

'I felt that the Indian batters were playing me very carefully. They didn't want to give Usman a wicket, so they stuck to their plan, and I stuck to my plan to take wickets. In the end, I was safe—even if I didn't take many wickets, I didn't concede many runs. Conceding fewer runs in the death overs is beneficial for the team. I felt this was beneficial for me too.'

Another feeling that drew Tariq towards cricket after watching Dhoni's biopic was the desire to become famous. Despite playing only five international matches, the cricket world now knows well who Usman Tariq is.

• ESPN Cricinfo