Quetta Gladiators endured a double blow in their PSL 2025 campaign, suffering a heavy 79-run defeat to Lahore Qalandars and seeing their young spinner Usman Tariq reported for a suspect bowling action. Match 4 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium proved costly not just on the scoreboard but also in terms of team composition.
Umpires Ahsan Raza and Chris Brown flagged Tariq’s bowling action during the clash. While he can continue to bowl for now under league rules, another report will see him barred from bowling until he clears an assessment at an ICC-accredited testing facility. It’s a tense situation for both Tariq and the Gladiators, as a second warning could severely impact their bowling resources.
Tariq has been a quiet performer for Quetta so far, picking up 3 wickets in 2 matches at an average of 19.00 and maintaining a solid economy rate of 7.12. Against Lahore, he took the key wicket of Sikandar Raza and returned figures of 1/31 in four overs. However, the spotlight has now moved from his performance to concerns over the legality of his bowling action.
Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars dominated the game with the bat, posting a massive 219/6. Fakhar Zaman led the charge with a classy 67, while Sam Billings provided a brutal late flourish with an unbeaten 50 off just 19 balls. Quetta’s chase never got going, folding for 140 in 16.2 overs. Rilee Rossouw’s 44 was the only resistance, as Lahore’s bowlers, led by Rishad Hossain’s three-wicket haul, dismantled the batting line-up.
Tariq’s future now hangs in the balance, with each over he bowls being watched closely. The youngster must remain composed as the pressure mounts in the coming fixtures.
