Aqib Javed Calls Bumrah The 'Usman Tariq Of Fast Bowlers'

Former Pakistan fast bowler and selector Aqib Javed has drawn a striking parallel between India's Jasprit Bumrah and Pakistan's Usman Tariq, calling the Indian pace ace the "Usman Tariq of fast bowlers" — a comparison that has set the cricket world talking following India's T20 World Cup 2026 triumph.

Javed's remarks centred on the discomfort both bowlers generate through unconventional actions. Just as Usman Tariq's unique bowling style unsettles batters, Javed argued that Bumrah's unusual action and blistering pace deny batters any rhythm or foothold. "He is completely different from other bowlers. When he comes to bowl, batsmen cannot find their rhythm," Javed said, adding that such distinctiveness in a fast bowler was reminiscent of the great Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis — a rare tribute from a Pakistani cricketing figure.

Bumrah's credentials at the ICCC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 needed little embellishment. He finished as one of the tournament's highest wicket-takers with 14 wickets across 8 matches, conceding just 174 runs. His defining moment came in the ICC final against New Zealand, where he returned figures of 4 wickets for 15 runs in 4 overs — without conceding a single boundary — earning him the Player of the Match award. The performance is being hailed as the finest spell by a fast bowler in a men's T20 World Cup final. Bumrah now has 40 T20 World Cup wickets to his name.

Usman Tariq, whose action prompted the original comparison, took 10 wickets in 5 matches at a cost of 141 runs — a creditable tournament return, though one that underscored the considerable statistical gap between the two bowlers at this edition of the event.