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“Stay silent”: Usman Tariq shares cryptic Instagram story after Pakistan T20I snub

Pakistan’s mystery spinner Usman Tariq took to Instagram after being left out of the squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. His cryptic post—highlighting the challenge of ‘staying silent’ when ego urges a response—followed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to reshuffle their white-ball lineup, with Sahibzada Farhan named as the new T20I captain.

The series, set to begin on October 9 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, marks Pakistan’s first home assignment under Farhan’s leadership, who previously led the team at the Asian Games. Alongside Tariq’s omission, players like Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Haris Rauf, and Fakhar Zaman were also dropped, while Sufiyan Muqeem was added to the squad as his replacement.

Tariq, who made his international debut in November 2025 with a standout 2/26 against South Africa, has since delivered mixed performances, including a career-best 4/16 against Namibia earlier this year but finishing wicketless (0/43) in his last outing against Sri Lanka in February. His overall T20I record stands at 18 wickets in eight matches, with an economy rate of 6.66 and a strike rate of 10.06, though his recent form has dipped slightly, averaging 13.08 in 2026 compared to 7.33 in 2025.

Beyond the T20Is, Pakistan will also compete in a seven-match ODI tri-series featuring England and Sri Lanka, with Rawalpindi hosting the initial matches before the tournament shifts to other venues.

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