On Friday, a fresh controversy stirred in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 when Daryl Mitchell of New Zealand refused to face Quetta Gladiators’ spinner Usman Tariq, citing his pause before the delivery as the reason.
The incident took place in the middle overs of Rawalpindiz’s chase at the National Stadium. As Usman Tariq ran in to bowl, he executed his signature style, momentarily halting his momentum before releasing the ball. Mitchell, clearly irritated by the disruption to his timing, stepped away from his stumps and signaled to the umpire that he was not prepared to face the delivery.
Daryl Mitchell twice pulls out of facing Usman Tariq 😂🤣😭 pic.twitter.com/HlDgOWMlPs
— Taimoor Zaman (@taimoor_ze) April 10, 2026
This happened several times during the over, leaving commentators visibly frustrated. Ramiz Raja suggested that Mitchell should have handled the situation better.
Inspired by Ashwin’s Strategy?
The stand-off appeared to be a deliberate tactic, drawing comparisons to Indian bowler Ravichandran Ashwin’s recent statements on the legality of Tariq’s action. Ashwin had mentioned that if a bowler’s stride is disrupted to the point that it affects the batter’s peripheral vision, the willow holder has the right to pull out of the delivery.
This led to a long discussion between the umpires and Quetta’s captain, though Tariq was ultimately allowed to continue without a formal warning. It’s important to note that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has ruled Tariq’s action as legal.
A user on X commented that Daryl Mitchell seemed to be a huge fan of Ravichandran Ashwin. In response, Ashwin weighed in on the matter, clarifying his stance:
“Now it’s up to 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.”
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.… https://t.co/16dreiVxlL
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) April 11, 2026
Ashwin’s response added further clarity to the situation, emphasising that consistency in the bowler’s pause is key and that players should address such issues before the game begins. His support for Mitchell’s actions helped validate the protest.
Quetta Gladiators deliver a clinical win
Although the Mitchell-Tariq controversy took centre stage, it was Quetta Gladiators who dominated the match, securing a decisive 61-run win.
Gladiators set a challenging total of 182/6 after batting first. Rilee Rossouw played a crucial innings, making 53, with strong backing from Saud Shakeel. The pair successfully tackled the Rawalpindiz pace attack, before a late surge took the total beyond 180.
In their chase, Rawalpindiz failed to find their tempo. While Saad Masood made a valiant 31, the rest of the batting order struggled to keep up with the growing required run rate.
