Warwickshire have signed Pakistan mystery spinner Usman Tariq for the 2026 T20 Blast.
Usman Tariq to play T20 Blast 2026 for Warwickshire
Tariq, who has been a sought-after spinner in the franchise T20 circuit of late, has signed for Warwickshire for the T20 Blast. Birmingham Phoenix had also signed him for £140,000 at The Hundred auction earlier this year and will thus play a majority of his cricket this summer in Edgbaston.
The right-arm spinner, who had earlier clarified that his unusual action was because he had ‘two elbows’ in his arm, didn’t have an impactful PSL 2026 season in terms of wickets. In 10 matches for the Quetta Gladiators, he picked up nine wickets at 33.55 while conceding runs at 7.55 per over.
Tariq had a great T20 World Cup, however, despite Pakistan’s struggles. He took 10 wickets in six matches at 14.10 each, and an economy rate of 7.23, including a 2-31 against England. Overall, in T20 cricket, the spinner has 89 wickets in 60 matches and has an economy of 6.95. Whereas in T20Is, where he debuted for Pakistan in 2025, he has picked up 18 wickets in nine matches, including a hat-trick in only his second international appearance.
“What makes this signing particularly exciting is the alignment between Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix,” Warwickshire’s Performance Director James Thomas said while announcing the signing. “Bringing Usman into the Bears for the Vitality Blast, before transitioning into The Hundred with the Phoenix, reflects the strength of our integrated model across club and franchise.
“It allows us to create continuity for the player, maximise performance impact across both competitions, and build stronger connections with our supporters in Birmingham and Warwickshire. Ultimately, this is about strengthening the team, the franchise, and our presence in the area and we believe Usman can play a key role in that this summer.”
Warwickshire begin their Blast campaign in Bristol against Gloucestershire on May 22, before their first home game of the season two days later against Somerset.
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