Pakistan leg-spin/left-arm spinner Usman Tariq’s “pause and deliver” style has once again ignited debate in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), with Daryl Mitchell becoming the latest batter to step away from facing him twice in a row. The New Zealand batter’s choice drew support from India’s former star Ravichandran Ashwin, who said Mitchell’s bold response was justified. In the middle of the noise, Tariq has now pushed for a “penalty” to be considered when batters deliberately interfere with a bowler’s rhythm.
The episode unfolded on Friday during a PSL match at Lahore, where Mitchell was batting for Rawalpindi while the team chased 183 against Quetta Gladiators. Usman Tariq was introduced when Rawalpindi were 54 for three. After his first three deliveries were dispatched for singles, Mitchell lifted his hand and left his crease just as Tariq was pausing in his action. He repeated the same tactic on the next ball, stepping away again as the bowler came into his release phase, a move that left the Gladiators visibly frustrated.
Before the situation could escalate further, wicketkeeper Khawaja Nafay was seen exchanging words with Mitchell. Umpire Sharfuddoula then stepped in to speak with the batter, bringing the moment under control.
Ashwin throws weight behind Mitchell
Earlier in the year, when a similar controversy over Tariq’s action surfaced during the T20 World Cup, Ashwin had urged batters to step away if a bowler paused mid-delivery. His argument was that such a response would shift pressure onto match officials to manage the timing of the pause, while also forcing the bowler to deal with the consequences of an inconsistent approach.
Mitchell’s actions appeared to align with that idea, and Ashwin publicly backed the New Zealand batter. “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,” Ashwin wrote on X.
In this PSL match, the officials ultimately sided with Tariq. The umpire found nothing wrong with his action, ruling that the pause was part of his natural rhythm. Tariq then continued undeterred, finishing with two wickets in an economical spell of 2 for 23 across four overs. Quetta went on to win by 61 runs.
Tariq calls for penalties after Ashwin’s support
A day after Ashwin’s post, Tariq took to Instagram to argue that penalties should be applied if a batter “deliberately” distracts the bowler or wastes time. He said that if a batter does it repeatedly with the intention of disrupting the bowler, it could be treated as unfair play, adding that umpires should first warn the batter and then escalate to a penalty if the behaviour continues. Tariq specifically noted that penalties typically amount to five runs for the fielding side.
He wrote: “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 five penalty runs to the fielding side. Happy to hear five penalty runs. Keep it up.”
Usman Tariq is next scheduled to take the field on April 15 against Peshawar Zalmi in Karachi.
