Usman Tariq’s untold story: A cricketing journey impressed by MS Dhoni’s biopic | Cricket Information – The Occasions of India – Imperial Wire

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq celebrates after takin the wicket of South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks in the course of the third T20 cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photograph/Ok.M. Chaudary)

New Delhi: It was 2017. Haseeb ur Rahman vividly remembers the evening he and his cousin Usman Tariq have been having dinner and watching MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, a biopic on the previous India captain. That evening modified Tariq’s life endlessly. After watching the film, he determined to pursue his true ardour, cricket, and left Dubai for the second time to make a reputation for himself.“He bought motivated after watching Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s film. What moved him was how Dhoni labored as a ticket collector whereas juggling his dream of taking part in cricket for India along with his job. The scene that moved Usman was when Dhoni was sitting on a bench on the platform, it began raining, and he then ran and caught the prepare to go house and provides cricket one other shot. That scene impressed Usman to take the leap of religion, and I keep in mind him saying, ‘Bhai jaan mera scene bhi toh yahi hai’ (My case can also be fairly comparable),” Haseeb ur Rahman tells TimesofIndia.com from Dubai.

Haseeb says what he noticed in Usman’s eyes that day made him consider the boy was destined for greater issues.Go Past The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Uski aankhon mey ek zidd thi, ek junoon, aap yun keh leh ki pagalpan tha (There was a cussed resolve in his eyes, a burning obsession, you might even name it insanity),” says Haseeb, with a lump in his throat.Usman adopted his calling and left Dubai for the second time, this time with a goal. Success didn’t come instantly. He needed to toil arduous, and one nice day his bowling video went viral on social media.

A younger Usman Tariq (left) along with his elder (excessive proper) and cousin Haseeb ur Rahman within the center. (Sepcial Association)

“He joined a cricket academy in Nowshera, which is round 30 kilometres from our village Charsadda. Usman used to bowl to Pakistan cricketer Iftikhar Ahmed within the nets, and one nice day his bowling video went viral,” says Haseeb.“He turned a celeb. Individuals began calling him to play matches for his or her golf equipment. They used to pay him between Rs 500 and Rs 1,500. The cash helped him with gas,” laughs Haseeb.“Then I feel he bought a proposal from the US. He performed for a small membership there. He additionally performed within the Karachi Premier League, the place he caught everybody’s consideration. Then the PSL got here calling, adopted by the CPL, Pakistan’s nationwide group and now the ILT20 as properly,” he provides.The membership matches Usman performed wouldn’t have been doable with out Haseeb, who despatched him cash to purchase a motorbike.

Haseeb ur Rahman (left) and Usman Tariq (excessive proper) of their village Charsadda in Peshawar (Particular Association)

“He used to stroll kilometres to play matches. I requested him to purchase a motorbike. It was a present from me, however after that it was as much as Usman how he maintained it. I did my job as an elder brother,” says Haseeb.

Chopping onions, surviving Kabul’s chilly

Earlier than watching MS Dhoni’s biopic, transferring again to Pakistan and finally carrying nationwide colors, the street Usman took was a protracted one.Usman misplaced his father very early and, being the eldest within the household, by the point he turned a teen he was already working and had develop into the only real breadwinner.“It was in 2007 when his father died. The household was below monetary duress,” recollects Haseeb. “He moved to Dubai when he was solely a teen. He labored in a lodge and his job was chopping onions. He did it for just a few weeks. It was a tricky job and it took a toll on him. At some point he messaged me and mentioned he needed to stand all day and his again had began hurting. He returned to Peshawar after resigning,” reminisces Haseeb.

On the time, Haseeb was working with an NGO in Kabul, Afghanistan.“I requested him to come back to Kabul. He landed in winter. The temperature was minus 10 levels. In Kabul, it goes right down to minus 15 levels at evening.“I requested my bosses to assist me discover him a job. However jab aapki kismat kharab rehti hai toh aap kuch nahi kar sakte (If you end up out of luck, nothing goes your approach). My boss didn’t give me a constructive response,” he says.Haseeb even went to the director of his NGO, providing to take a pay lower.“I informed him, ‘aap isey kaam de do aur meri wage lower kar ke ise paise de do, however isey pata nahi chalna chahiye’ (Give him the job as an alternative and pay him by slicing my wage, however he mustn’t discover out). Not less than he would have some psychological peace. It additionally didn’t work out.

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq bowls in the course of the second T20 cricket match between Pakistan and Australia, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photograph/Ok.M. Chaudary)

“We tried so much, regardless of the safety state of affairs in Kabul. He stayed with me for 3 weeks. When it began snowing, his again ache worsened. I suggested him to return to Peshawar as a result of he wouldn’t have survived Kabul’s winter,” says Haseeb.

Again in Dubai

Usman stored doing odd jobs for 3 years in Islamabad. In 2016, when Haseeb moved to Dubai from Kabul, his youthful brother adopted him. Nevertheless it was not simple, as lodging in Dubai could be very costly, and with out a job, Usman stayed in a labour camp the place he shared a room with 20 others.“I didn’t have a job, and neither did he. I used to be staying at a pal’s flat in Dubai, whereas he was staying in a labour camp in Sonapur. He was sharing a room with 20 folks,” recollects Haseeb.

Usman was staying in a labour camp in Sonapur, in Dubai. He was sharing a room with 20 folks

Haseeb ur Rahman, cousin of Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq

“I invited him over in the future. He got here all the way in which from Sonapur. Residing in a labour camp is hard, and I might see he was not properly. I requested him to spend the evening at my pal’s place with out even looking for permission. I’ll always remember the happiness in his eyes,” says Haseeb.After discovering a job as a logistics officer in a procurement firm, the juggle between life, cricket and work continued.In October 2016, one other life-changing second arrived on Usman’s door when the duo went to a Peshawar Zalmi expertise hunt in Dubai.

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq celebrates after takin the wicket of South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks in the course of the third T20 cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photograph/Ok.M. Chaudary)

“These they discovered fascinating have been requested to bowl extra. When Usman bowled, they have been impressed. He was requested to bowl six balls. I assumed they might signal him, however they didn’t supply him a contract,” says Haseeb, who was additionally the primary to counsel Usman stick with spin after he went for runs in a road cricket match performed on Sundays close to the Hyatt Regency lodge in Palm Deira.“In that event, he switched to spin bowling and instantly made an influence,” says Haseeb.Per week later, Zalmi known as him to return to Pakistan to play matches.“He couldn’t afford to lose his job and mentioned no to Zalmi. He was in tears that day,” recollects Haseeb.

The talk on bowling motion

Just lately, Usman has been within the information due to his bowling motion.Throughout the T20I sequence towards Australia, Cameron Inexperienced irritably mimicked his motion, accusing the Pakistani spinner of chucking. The identical occurred in the course of the ILT20 in Abu Dhabi, the place England batter Tom Banton made an analogous chucking gesture.

There’s a pause in Usman Tariq’s motion, which is legally allowed. His motion is uncommon and distinctive, with some variations. Finally, the choice on its legality rests with the ICC, the umpires and the match referees.

R Ashwin, former India cricketer

Former India spinner R Ashwin additionally took a delicate dig. “There’s a pause in Usman Tariq’s motion, which is legally allowed. His motion is uncommon and distinctive, with some variations. Finally, the choice on its legality rests with the ICC, the umpires and the match referees,” Ashwin mentioned on his YouTube channel.However Usman discovered assist in former Australia cricketer Usman Khawaja. “There aren’t many issues worse than being known as a chucker in cricket. The stigma is actual. The person is simply doing his greatest and has been cleared twice. Let’s have some perspective and understanding and cease leaping to conclusions,” Khawaja mentioned on Instagram.

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq bowls in the course of the third T20 cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photograph/Ok.M. Chaudary)

At Pakistan’s pre-match press convention in Colombo, Salman Ali Agha additionally got here out in assist of his participant.“I don’t perceive why we’re speaking about his motion. In my view, it’s a truthful motion. He has been examined twice and has cleared it. In the long run, does he want to hold a discover round his neck saying that he’s clear,” mentioned Agha.

Psychological toughness

Amid all of the noise round his bowling motion, Haseeb says Usman stays unfazed and credit his psychological toughness.“He jokes about it,” says Haseeb. “He says he doesn’t care. He passes a sarcastic smile and says they have no idea that he has cleared the ICC’s check twice. ‘Jitni nafrat faila rahe, fundamental utna mashoor ho raha hoon’ (The extra hatred they unfold, the extra well-known I develop into).”

Ballot

What impressed Usman Tariq to pursue cricket?

Haseeb remembers the time they spent collectively in Dubai and Kabul and says Usman would usually inform him, “Bhai jaan, fundamental yeh 9-to-5 waali zindagi ke liye nahi bana hoon (I’m not constructed for a nine-to-five life).”Like Dhoni, whose batting and protecting approach and lengthy hair as soon as led many to doubt him, Usman realised after watching the biopic that he would want to do one thing particular on the World Cup. He needs to be identified for his wicket-taking means slightly than his slingy motion.