The contentious bowling action of Usman Tariq has sparked fresh drama in the PSL 2026.
The incident took place on Friday (April 10) during a match between Quetta Gladiators and Rawalpindi Pindiz at National Stadium, Karachi.
During the 9th over of Pindiz’s run chase, Mitchell pulled out of his batting stance twice. He objected to Tariq’s signature delivery stride, which involves running in normally and then executing a sudden, prolonged pause just before releasing the ball.
The on-field umpires intervened to discuss the issue with Mitchell, but ultimately permitted Tariq to continue with his action.
Daryl Mitchell’s move was not random, but rather a direct application of tactical advice previously shared by former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
During the T20 World Cup 2026, Ashwin had suggested the Indian batters to step away from the crease when Tariq pauses in his run-up.
After Mithell implemented his suggestion, Ashwin tweeted: “Now it’s upto the umpires and match referees to time the pause for his delivery. If the pause isn’t consistent, then the batter has every right to move away.”
“The captains & opposition batters should raise this issue with the umpires and match referees before the game begins. Well done Mitchell,” he added.
Later, Usman Tariq responded on social media, referring to laws defining unfair play, noting that a batter can be penalized for continuously pulling out of their stance to deliberately distract the bowler or waste time.
“Unsporting Conduct (Foul Play): If the batter does this continuously to deliberately distract the bowler or waste time, it can be deemed unfair play. The umpire has the discretion to warn the batter, and if it continues, issue a penalty (usually 5 penalty runs to the fielding side)," Tariq wrote on his Instagram story.
“Happy to hear 5 penalty runs. Keep it up," he added as a commentary.
Usman Tariq's action, despite having been reported for being suspect in the past, has been cleared as legal by the International Cricket Council (ICC).