Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq has been left out of the national squad for upcoming home white-ball matches. His omission has sparked criticism from cricket journalists and fans on social media. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently announced squads for a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. It also named players for an ODI tri-series featuring England and Sri Lanka.
Following the squad announcement, Usman Tariq shared a cryptic message on his Instagram story. “The hardest part of wisdom is learning to stay silent when Ego wants to speak,” he wrote. The post attracted attention amid questions about his exclusion from the upcoming fixtures. However, Tariq did not directly explain the message or comment publicly on his omission.
The spinner has represented Pakistan in nine T20 international matches. During these appearances, he has taken 18 wickets at an economy rate of 6.66. His recent performances have made his absence a talking point among cricket followers.
Usman Tariq also finished as Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker at the 2026 T20 World Cup. He claimed 10 wickets in six matches at an average of 14.10. His economy rate during the tournament was 7.23.
Journalists and Fans Question Selection
Cricket journalist Shahzab Iqbal questioned the decision in a post on X. He highlighted Tariq’s wicket-taking record and asked why the spinner had been dropped after being considered an important option for the T20 World Cup. He also criticised Pakistan’s selection process.
Other social media users raised concerns about consistency in team selection. Some questioned the frequent inclusion and exclusion of players between series. Others alleged that personal preferences influenced selection decisions. These comments reflected public frustration, although the allegations were not independently established.
One user also questioned why Tariq was not selected for the Asian Games. The comment referred to his performance against India during the T20 World Cup and argued that his bowling could have been useful against left-handed opponents.
Several Asian Games Players Omitted
Usman Tariq was part of Pakistan’s Asian Games campaign alongside several other players. The group included Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, Ali Raza, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Akif Javed and Ahmed Daniyal. These players were also left out of the squads announced for the upcoming home assignments.
The omissions have added to the discussion surrounding Pakistan’s team selection. However, the PCB’s announcement did not establish a specific reason for Tariq’s exclusion in the information provided.
Pakistan’s Upcoming White-Ball Fixtures
Pakistan is scheduled to face Sri Lanka in three T20I matches in Rawalpindi on October 9, 11 and 13. The team will then participate in an ODI tri-series involving England and Sri Lanka. Matches in the tri-series are scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
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The upcoming fixtures will provide Pakistan with an opportunity to assess its squad across both formats. Meanwhile, Usman Tariq’s omission continues to draw attention because of his international wicket-taking record and World Cup performance. The selectors have yet to provide a specific explanation for his absence in the reference report.
