Usman Tariq’s stop-and-pause action wasn’t just a curiosity at the T20 World Cup 2026. It was one of the tournament’s most talked-about subplots. Every time he ran in, fans were excited, not just about the delivery but also about the short pause before it happened.
India, like most sides, didn’t really overcomplicate things against him. There was talk before the game, including from Ravichandran Ashwin, about batters stepping away to disrupt his rhythm. In the end, India played him conventionally. And Tariq wasn’t the main focus of Pakistan’s campaign either. They didn’t make it to the semifinals, and the debate about what he did gradually died down.
But that was until now. A Pakistan Super League (PSL) game in Karachi has dragged it right back into the limelight. Daryl Mitchell, playing for Rawalpindiz, repeatedly stepped away as Tariq paused in his run-up. The umpire had to step in and the play was paused multiple times in between.
Ashwin backs Mitchell, Tariq responds sharply
Ashwin, who had already spoken about this during the World Cup, blatantly backed Mitchell’s antics. His argument was that if the pause in the bowler’s action is not consistent, the batter has every right to disengage.
He even went a step further, suggesting teams should raise this with umpires before the game as well. That endorsement gave Mitchell’s move legitimacy. It became something others could consider.
Tariq, though, didn’t take a step back.
Instead, he flipped the argument. Quoting the laws around unfair play, he pointed out that repeated stepping away can itself be penalised if it is seen as a deliberate attempt to distract the bowler or waste time. The penalty, if enforced, is five runs to the fielding side.
“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 5 penalty runs to the fielding side).” Then came his response, short and pointed. “Happy to hear 5 penalty runs. Keep it up.”
It is what we call grey area in cricket
This episode really shows just how thin the line is. The rules say that a batter can step away before the bowler starts to throw. But they also stop people from intentionally causing problems. It’s up to you to decide where one ends and the other begins. That’s where the issue is.
The action that Tariq took is also in the same area. It is strange, but not against the law. The pause is part of his rhythm, but it also makes the batter wait a little longer, which can be annoying. Mitchell’s answer was to break that pattern. Ashwin thinks it’s fair if the bowler’s timing changes. Tariq says that it’s not fair to keep interrupting him either.
Ashwin’s involvement also has a subtle subtext. He himself has experimented with tempo, angles, and even little hesitations in his approach throughout the years. He is aware of how much spin bowling relies on deception. For this reason, his support for Daryl Mitchell is fascinating.
