Pakistan can survive without Usman Tariq, but they cannot afford to be careless with the spin balance he leaves behind. The new captain Sahibzada Farhan, inherits a team that dropped seven of its World Cup players and the leading wicket-taker from that tournament. Tariq took 18 T20I wickets at 11.16, the best average among the four spinners compared here, so his absence is a gamble that Farhan must manage from the opening match against Sri Lanka at home, where expectations will be high and patience short.
A Captaincy Reset After Asia Cup Pain
The PCB has not offered a public explanation for leaving Tariq out, though the wider picture helps. Reading between the lines, the selectors wanted a clean break from an era that ended in disappointment. Salman Ali Agha captained Pakistan in 50 T20Is and won 31 of them, yet the side watched the 2025 Asia Cup final go to India and then fell short of the 2026 World Cup semifinals.
Sahibzada Farhan was the standout batter in that tournament, scoring 383 runs at 76.60 with two centuries, and he then guided Pakistan to silver at the Asian Games. The cull includes Mohammad Nawaz, Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, while Razaullah and Mohammad Imran Randhawa are in line for first white-ball caps, and Khawaja Nafay becomes the wicketkeeper.
A Short but Sharp Record
From nine T20I games, Tariq collected 18 scalps at 11.16 apiece and conceded 6.66 an over, which works out at two wickets per match. One of those games was a 4/18 against Zimbabwe that included a hat-trick, and another was a tidy 1/24 from four overs when Pakistan met India in the World Cup.
At that tournament he led Pakistan’s bowling with 10 wickets from six matches at 14.10. A PCB biomechanics assessment cleared his unusual action in May 2025, so there is no cloud over his legality. Once the squads came out, he shared a cryptic Instagram story about keeping quiet when ego wants to speak.
Spin Options That Remain
Pakistan hold on to three experienced spinners, along with Arafat Minhas. Sufyan Moqim is back after twelve months out, as his last T20I came in September 2025, and his figures in the table run to 13 July. Abrar has 38 caps and Shadab 124, and the pair give Farhan a base of experience that Tariq’s nine games could not.
Shadab’s wicket count, economy rate and average in the table date to 24 February 2026, though his match count is current. The grid below puts all four on one page so the gaps are easy to see.
Spinner | Matches | Wickets | Economy | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Usman Tariq | 9 | 18 | 6.66 | 11.16 |
Abrar Ahmed | 38 | 52 | 6.67 | 17.36 |
Shadab Khan | 124 | 123 | 7.40 | 24.32 |
Sufyan Moqim | 19 | 27 | 6.28 | 14.74 |
Pakistan T20I squad without Usman Tariq
Tariq owns the lowest bowling average in the four-man table above, 11.16 against Moqim’s 14.74, Abrar’s 17.36 and Shadab’s 24.32. Abrar climbed to number two in the ICC T20I bowling rankings ahead of the World Cup and keeps the economy down at 6.67 runs an over, while Shadab is the most expensive of the group.
Shadab also became the first Pakistani to reach 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in T20I cricket, which explains his place despite the cost. Moqim’s 6.28 economy is the tightest of the four, which keeps him a genuine contender for a middle-overs role. The danger is a spin group with fewer genuine wicket-takers, but the record against Sri Lanka, 18 wins from 31 T20Is, offers some comfort.
Farhan’s Captaincy Test Begins at Rawalpindi
Captaincy is new territory for Farhan, who had 1,305 runs from 46 T20Is before the Asian Games. His side beat Bangladesh in the semifinal by six wickets, but India took the final by 19 runs after posting 211/6. Hasan Nawaz made 96 off 51 balls in the chase, while Farhan himself fell for 10. That final is the benchmark his captaincy will be judged against.
The opener against Sri Lanka is on Friday 9 October at Rawalpindi, and the teams meet again on 11 and 13 October. Head coach Mike Hesson stays in place, and Shaun Tait has arrived as bowling coach. How Farhan deploys his spinners through the middle overs will reveal whether the Pakistan T20I squad without Usman Tariq has lost its sharpest weapon or simply gained balance.
Is leaving out Tariq a bold reset or a costly mistake? Tell us what you think in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why has Usman Tariq been left out by Pakistan?
The PCB has offered no public reason. He is also missing from the ODI tri-series squad, which suggests the omission is not limited to T20I selection or to one competition.
Who captains Pakistan in T20Is now?
Sahibzada Farhan has taken over from Salman Ali Agha. He earned the job after a strong World Cup with the bat, scoring 383 runs, and an Asian Games silver medal.
Which spinners are in the Sri Lanka T20I group?
Arafat Minhas joins Moqim, Shadab Khan and Abrar Ahmed. Moqim returns after a year out, and none of the four can match Tariq’s bowling average of 11.16.
How good was Usman Tariq in T20Is?
Very good over a small sample, with 18 wickets in nine matches. He averaged 11.16 and conceded 6.66 an over, figures that explain why his omission has surprised so many people.
When does Pakistan’s T20I series with Sri Lanka begin?
It opens on 9 October in Rawalpindi. Further matches follow on 11 and 13 October, so Farhan gets three games to settle his captaincy and his spin plans.