Is MS Dhoni really a credit stealer? Apart from "Thala for a reason," there is anti-Dhoni propaganda that says that the former India captain somehow manages to steal the cricket no matter what. But does MS Dhoni steal cricket? After years of retirement from international cricket, players from different countries do come and somehow mention his name, giving credit for whatever reasons. And Tariq Rahman from Pakistan just got added to the list. Tariq is currently one of the most controversial bowlers due to his stop-play action. And now, just before their match against Namibia, Tariq attended the press conference where he credited MS Dhoni for his comeback in cricket. He said, "Mein dobara wapas aya Dhoni ko dekh ke. Kiun ki, after watching that thing, the story was similar, ke mein bhi job kr rha, wo bhi job kr rha tha. So I felt that ke iye bhi ek insan h, jo history create kr rha diye he. To mein bhi to ek normal, like simple human being. Mein bhi hun. To ho sakte he ke mein bhi us pathway pe ja sakta hun. Lekin uske liye mehnat bohot zyada karni padegi, jo matlab, baki saare ne kiye. So that's the only fact, like, I came to cricket board again because of MS Dhoni." [I returned after watching MS Dhoni because, after seeing him, I felt the story was similar—we were both doing our jobs. I realised that he is also a human being who is creating history. And I am also just a normal, simple human being. So it’s possible that I, too, can walk that path. But for that, I will have to work extremely hard, just like everyone else did. That is the only fact— I came back to the cricket board because of MS Dhoni.] Watch the video here: Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq shares how Dhoni’s journey inspired him to make a comeback and work relentlessly on his game. 🔥ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup ➡️ #PAKvNAM | WED, FEB 18, 2:30 PM onwards pic.twitter.com/W5Ld8F1xBH — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 18, 2026 The MS Dhoni link in Usman Tariq's revamp MS Dhoni’s life story became the defining spark behind Pakistani mystery spinner Usman Tariq’s return to professional cricket. After stepping away from the game due to limited opportunities in Pakistan, Tariq moved to Dubai in 2015 to work a nine-to-five job and support his family. Everything changed in late 2016 when he watched M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story. Seeing MS Dhoni rise from an ordinary job to global greatness convinced Tariq that persistence could rewrite destinies. He quit his job, returned home, switched from pace to spin after injury, and eventually transformed into an international match-winner. Notably, Pakistan will face Namibia on February 18, a crucial one for Pakistan to qualify for Group 8.