The contentious bowling action of Pakistan mystery spinner Usman Tariq sparked fresh drama in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) after New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell repeatedly refused to face him.

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 batter indicated that the delay severely disrupted his timing and rhythm.

Following the stand-off, 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 to force a dead ball while facing Tariq’s stop-start bowling action.

After Mithell implemented his suggestion, Ashwin took to X and wrote: “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.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin had earlier said: "If Tariq pauses before delivery, the batter has the right to move away. The batter can say, 'I don't know when the ball is coming, so I moved away'."

"I want to see who dares to do that. That will be an interesting case and a huge headache for the umpire. See, I'm not against anyone. If I was there, I would have done that. I would have done everything that is within the laws of the game. In this instance, the umpire will have to decide whether to warn the bowler or the batter. Odds are, they will stand with the batter," he remarked.

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).