Daryl Mitchell follows Ravichandran Ashwin's advice; pulls out twice against Usman Tariq in PSL 2026

New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell caused major drama during the Pakistan Super League after he refused to face mystery spinner Usman Tariq. Mitchell took offence as Tariq repeatedly paused during his bowling action in the match between Quetta Gladiators and Rawalpindi at the National Stadium in Karachi.

The Pakistan Super League continues to witness several controversies during this year’s T20 tournament. Quetta Gladiators and Rawalpindi played the match on Friday (April 10) evening. Rawalpindi struggled while chasing the 183-run target set by Quetta before the disruption occurred in the ninth over.

Daryl Mitchell Refuses To Face Usman Tariq in PSL 2026

Usman Tariq approached the bowling crease and used his trademark stuttering action. He completely paused before releasing the ball towards Daryl Mitchell. Mitchell did not like this action and stepped away from the stumps twice.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Rawalpindi faced a rising required run rate of nearly eleven runs per over when Mitchell refused to face Tariq. Tariq delivered the ball on the second attempt, but the umpire immediately called it a dead ball. This disruption caused a long delay during the run chase.

The on-field umpires stepped in and had a detailed discussion with Mitchell. Ramiz Raja showed clear frustration while commentating. He said that Mitchell should behave better and stay ready instead of repeatedly stepping away from his stance.

“Can he withdraw from his action? I think the umpires have to sort this out. And I think he's got to be ready. Daryl Mitchell has got to be better than that,” said Ramiz Raja.

Daryl Mitchell twice pulls out of facing Usman Tariq 😂🤣😭 pic.twitter.com/HlDgOWMlPs

— Taimoor Zaman (@taimoor_ze) April 10, 2026

Daryl Mitchell Follows Ravichandran Ashwin’s Advice Against Usman Tariq

Ravichandran Ashwin had earlier spoken about the legality of this bowling action during the recent T20 World Cup. He said that batters have every right to step away if Usman Tariq pauses before delivering the ball. Ashwin also challenged batters to use this tactic against Tariq.

“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,” Ravichandran Ashwin had said.

The ICC had previously cleared Tariq’s bowling action twice and found no issues. Tariq continued bowling against Rawalpindi without any warning from the umpires. He later dismissed Daryl Mitchell soon after their heated moment during the PSL match.

Quetta Gladiators Secure Massive Victory

Quetta Gladiators dominated the match by posting a competitive total of 182 for six. Rilee Rossouw anchored the innings with 53 runs, while Saud Shakeel provided solid support as Quetta handled Rawalpindi’s pace attack and finished strongly.

Rawalpindi failed to build momentum in the chase as wickets kept falling. Saad Masood showed some resistance with 31 runs. Usman Tariq picked up two wickets for 23 runs, while Saud Shakeel and Jahandad Khan also took two wickets each. Rawalpindi were bowled out for just 121 runs.

Quetta Gladiators secured a convincing 61-run win at the National Stadium. They are now at fifth on the table with two wins from five matches. Meanwhile, Rawalpindi are at the bottom after five straight defeats this season.

Also read: MS Dhoni, Dewald Brevis injury update: Official medical bulletin issued on CSK stars