Usman Tariq criticized New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell after he used a tip from R Ashwin to reverse his break during a Pakistan Super League match. Tariq’s bowling action has already sparked debate ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. The spinner’s signature bowling has a hypermobile elbow that doesn’t fully straighten, prompting comparisons with Muttiah Muralitharan. His run-up involves a diagonal approach with a short pause before delivery, which disrupts the batter’s timing.
During the T20 World Cup, Ashwin suggested on his YouTube channel that the batsmen can walk away if Tariq stops mid-delivery and says it is within the rules.
“If Tariq stops before the delivery, the batsman has the right to walk away. The batsman can say, ‘I don’t know when the ball is coming, so I walked away’,” Ashwin said.
MITCHELL TAKES ADVANTAGE OF ASHWIN’S PLOY
Mitchell used this tactic in a PSL match between Rawalpindi Pindiz and Quetta Gladiators. He stepped back from his crease, signaling to the umpire that he was not ready to face the ball, and withdrew several times during the replay.
Commentator Ramiz criticized Raj Mitchell and suggested that he could have handled the situation better. The tactic drew attention for its impact on the flow of the game.
TARIQ’S ANSWER
In response, Tariq posted on his Instagram stories where he quoted the cricket rule book and called the tactic a bad game. The rules state that persistent intentional interference or time wasting by the batsman may result in a warning and a penalty of five runs to the fielder.
“Foul play: If the batsman does this continuously to deliberately distract the bowler or waste time, it may be considered unfair play. The umpire has the right to warn the batsman and, if it continues, to award a penalty (usually 5 runs to the fielding side).
“I’m glad to hear 5 penalty runs, keep it up,” Tariq’s Instagram story read. (Credit: Usman Tariq Instagram)
This was the first time a cricketer had used this trick against him during a game.
– The end
Published on:
12 Apr 2026 18:42 IST
