Usman Tariq voiced disapproval towards New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell for adopting R Ashwin’s advice to counter Tariq’s pause in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) game. Tariq’s bowling action had already stirred discussions ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. The spinner’s unique bowling technique involves a hypermobile elbow that remains partially bent, prompting parallels to Muttiah Muralitharan. His approach to the crease features a diagonal movement with a brief halt before releasing the ball, disrupting the timing of the batsmen.
During the T20 World Cup, Ashwin shared on his YouTube channel that batsmen could step away if Tariq pauses during his delivery and highlighted that such an action falls within the rules. “If Tariq pauses before delivering the ball, the batsman has the right to move away. The batsman can state, ‘I am uncertain about the delivery timing, so I stepped aside,'” Ashwin explained.
Mitchell employed this strategy in the PSL match between Rawalpindi Pindiz and Quetta Gladiators. He distanced himself from the crease and indicated to the umpire his lack of readiness to face the ball, withdrawing multiple times within the over. Commentator Ramiz Raja criticized Mitchell, suggesting a better approach could have been taken, as the tactic received attention for disrupting the game’s rhythm.
In response, Tariq took to his Instagram stories, referencing the cricket rule book and labeling the tactic as unsporting conduct. The regulations stipulate that persistent intentional distractions or time-wasting by the batsman could lead to a warning and a five-run penalty for the fielding team. “Unsporting Conduct (Foul Play): If the batsman consistently engages in such actions to intentionally distract the bowler or waste time, it may be considered unfair play. The umpire holds the authority to caution the batsman, and if the behavior persists, impose a penalty (typically five runs to the fielding side),” Tariq highlighted in his Instagram story.
Tariq expressed satisfaction with the imposition of five penalty runs, indicating his approval. This marked the first instance where a cricketer employed this maneuver against him during a match.