TOP STORIES

"We had the conversation about our lapses": Usman Tariq on Pakistan's defeat against India

Wednesday, 18-Feb-2026 ● 17 hrs ago
News

Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq has expressed confidence, insisting that his side has taken valuable lessons from their 61-run defeat to India in Sunday’s 2026 T20 World Cup clash. Despite the heavy loss, Tariq expressed optimism that Pakistan would deliver a much-improved performance in the upcoming games.

“See, the difficulty arises when you don’t pinpoint and work on your mistakes. We had the conversation about our lapses, and we will work on them not to repeat them," Usman said at the press conference.

India posted a competitive 175/7, capitalising on Pakistan's inconsistent bowling. Pakistan’s bowlers, apart from Tariq, were unable to consistently apply pressure, allowing India to accelerate in the latter stages of the innings. The chase proved even more disappointing for Pakistan. Early wickets derailed their pursuit, and the middle order failed to stabilise the innings. They were bowled out for 114 in 18 overs, handing India a comprehensive victory. When asked whether the team was under pressure against India, Tariq felt that pressure is normal.

“Feeling pressure is normal. But the main thing is how to overcome that, and we have worked on that. But right now, there is no pressure. I didn’t feel that the team was under pressure,” he said.

Meanwhile, following Pakistan's disheartening defeat, senior players Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi have been subjected to intense scrutiny. But for Tariq, Babar and Shaheen have the ability to overcome challenges. 

"There's no doubt that Shaheen and Babar have won many matches for Pakistan. One game doesn't define their capability or calibre. If something like this happens, they know how to recover because they are the senior players," he said.

"There's nothing like they are shattered or under extra pressure. It's part of the game. Some days you do well, some days you don't. The main thing is how you come back and perform again," Tariq added.

Tags

More News

News

T20 World Cup, 2026: India storm into knockouts unbeaten, outclass Netherlands in Ahmedabad

7 hrs ago

Continuing with their dominant run in the T20 World Cup, India defeated the Netherlands by 17 runs in Ahmedabad on Wednesday to finish the group stage unbeaten. Showing their brilliance both in batting and bowling, India successfully defended a challenging total of 193.

Deciding to bat, India posted 193/6 in 20 overs, riding on a blistering middle-order ...


News

Pakistan sail into the Super 8 after decimating Namibia

10 hrs ago

Pakistan sealed their place in the Super 8s with a commanding 102-run victory over Namibia in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup clash on Wednesday in Colombo, making a huge comeback from a staggering defeat against India in their last game. Deciding to bat, Pakistan piled up a massive total of 199/3 in 20 overs, powered by a blazing unbeaten century from Sahibzada ...


News

"Really poor campaign": Ricky Ponting shares his views on Australia's disappointing campaign at T20 World Cup

13 hrs ago

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has given a frank assessment of Australia’s disappointing campaign at the Men's T20 World Cup, describing the team’s performances as “really poor” and well below the standards expected of an established team. Australia’s title hopes were ruined early after managing just one win from their first three matches. The results l...


News

Navneet Dhaliwal to retire from international cricket after T20 World Cup clash against Afghanistan

14 hrs ago

Former Canada captain Navneet Dhaliwal has announced that he will retire from international cricket following his side’s final match of the ICC T20 World Cup against Afghanistan in Chennai on Thursday. Dhaliwal confirmed his decision after Canada’s defeat to New Zealand, which ended their hopes of advancing to the Super Eight stage of the tournament. Dhaliwal’s...


News

Jammu & Kashmir create history in Ranji Trophy, seal berth in final

16 hrs ago

Creating history in domestic cricket, Jammu & Kashmir defeated two-time champions Bengal by six wickets in the semi-final of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy at Kalyani to seal a historic maiden berth in the final. For decades, J&K had fallen short and lacked the consistency to challenge the heavyweights, but today they finally made it happen. The backbone of t...