The former Indian off-spinner, Harbhajan Singh, has slammed the former Pakistan player, Tanvir Ahmed, ahead of the two countries’ meeting in the T20 World Cup 2026 on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo. After various controversies, the game got the green signal.

Ahead of the clash, Harbhajan Singh, has slammed Tanvir for his comments, where he mentioned something about the India legend interviewing the Pakistan spinner, Usman Tariq, for his unique action during the International League T20. It forced Harbhajan to give a befitting reply.

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“This video is for a tuccha insaan (petty human being), who’s said a few things about me. Ideally, I don’t even know who he is, but because I see that time and again, he does his drama on one platform or another. First, I want to know who this guy is. Do you even know him? His name is Tanvir Ahmed. He’s played some 3-4 matches for Pakistan, and he behaves as if he is Imran Khan.” Harbhajan expressed in his YouTube video.

Harbhajan Singh slams Tanvir Ahmed in T20 WC 2026 on Usman Tariq’s action

Tanvir has just played eight matches across formats for the national side and has been serving as a panelist for some TV shows in Pakistan. He has often been a part of controversies for his comments.

Watch the video here: 

🚨 HARBHAJAN SINGH COOK TANVIR AHMED [ HB YT ] 🚨

" He'd have had a problem regardless of whether I questioned Usman Tariq or not ”

“You have achieved nothing of substance in your career—sitting on a channel ” 😆

- Cease this asinine chatter.
Vanish quietly 🥶 pic.twitter.com/pSxskehm9N

— Kiara (@crickiara) February 13, 2026

“I was serving my role as a broadcaster in the ILT20. What is the role of a broadcaster? When someone wins the Man of the Match award, you ask him questions, right? Usman Tariq, the Pakistan spinner, picked up three wickets and won the match for his team. As a broadcaster, I am obviously supposed to ask him questions.” Harbhajan added.

“But when I did so, this guy [Tanvir Ahmed] had a problem. Had I not asked him questions, he would have again thought that, since he’s from Pakistan, I didn’t ask him questions. He said, wherever I see a Pakistani cricketer, I roam around them. As far as I am concerned, just buzz off. The next time it happens, teri dhajjiya uda dunga.” The Indian spinner added.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently unveiled a 17-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE, with Salman Ali Agha appointed as captain. While the squad features several promising youngsters, it notably excludes experienced stars Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and pacer Naseem Shah. Instead, selectors opted for Mohammad Wasim Jr. to bolster the pace unit. The absence of Babar and Rizwan is not entirely surprising, as Pakistan already played without them in T20I series against Bangladesh and the West Indies earlier this year.

However, the decision has sparked strong reactions, with former Pakistan pacer Tanvir Ahmed suggesting that both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan should consider retiring from international cricket if they feel undervalued by the board. According to Ahmed, the duo may interpret their omission from the Asia Cup 2025 squad as a sign of disrespect. He even compared their situation to Virat Kohli’s career path, implying the players could weigh retirement as an option if they continue to feel sidelined.

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“If Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are feeling disrespected, I request them to consider retiring from International cricket. We have examples like Virat Kohli in front of us”, expressed the former speedster via his social media handles.

Why Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were moved out of squad?

Once ranked as the No.1 T20I batter, Babar Azam now finds himself excluded from Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, marking a dramatic decline. His return as captain during the ICC T20 World Cup in the USA ended in disappointment, with Pakistan crashing out in the group stage. Mohammad Rizwan, who was also part of that campaign, has faced a similar downfall. While some argue they were unfairly dropped, the duo have underperformed in recent outings. Head coach Mike Hesson stressed Babar must improve specific areas of his game to make a comeback.

Hesson further suggested that Babar should consider opportunities in franchise cricket, such as the Big Bash League (BBL), to rebuild form and confidence. Meanwhile, former pacer Tanvir Ahmed has stirred debate by questioning the inclusion of Fakhar Zaman in the Asia Cup squad. The left-hander, who suffered a hamstring injury in the West Indies series, may have been rushed back too soon. His performance in the Asia Cup will likely determine if his selection was justified or forced.