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.