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Warwickshire Bears have signed Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq for the upcoming T20 Blast campaign.
The 30-year-old has risen to prominence in the last few years following successful campaigns in the Pakistan Super League and Caribbean Premier League in 2025.
He made his international T20 debut in November that year against South Africa and took a hat-trick in his second appearance against Zimbabwe.
The off-spinner has gone on to take 18 wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of 6.66 runs per over.
Tariq, who has only played two first-class games, has taken 89 wickets in 60 games in his T20 career so far.
The Bears said they “fought off competition from around the world” to sign Tariq, who will also feature at Edgbaston for Birmingham Phoenix in this year’s Hundred.
“Usman is exactly the type of high-impact player we want to bring into Warwickshire, so we’re delighted to get this deal completed,” Bears performance director James Thomas said.
“His skillset and tactical awareness make him a genuine threat in modern white-ball cricket, but it’s his hunger to compete and continually improve that really stands out.”
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Tariq’s slingy, low-armed bowling action has been the subject of attention on several occasions in his fledging career and has twice been reported by on-field umpires during the Pakistan Super League, in 2024 and again in 2025.
He was cleared on both occasions.
The Bears, who have dropped the Birmingham name from their T20 side, begin their Blast campaign against Gloucestershire in Bristol on Friday, 22 May before playing their first home game against Somerset two days later.
