Published: Mar 11, 2026, 02:55 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 12, 2026, 12:48 PM (IST)
During the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, India pacer Arshdeep Singh was fined 15% of his match fee and given one demerit point for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct. The incident happened when Daryl Mitchell came to bat with the required run rate slipping away for New Zealand. Daryl hit Arshdeep for two sixes in one over. Arshdeep got furious and threw the ball at Daryl during his follow-through, which irritated the usually calm New Zealand all-rounder.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav quickly stepped in to calm Daryl down. Later, Arshdeep went to Daryl and apologised in his own way.
After India’s 96-run win to claim their third T20 World Cup title, Arshdeep explained his apology to the broadcasters:
“I went to say sorry to Mitchell. My throw reverse-swung a bit too much and it hit his body, so I told him that I didn’t hit him intentionally,” Arshdeep told the broadcasters.
A video of the two players talking after the match also went viral on social media.
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India head coach Gautam Gambhir said he would have been fine even if Arshdeep had not apologised. He explained that showing aggression is part of representing your country.
“You are representing your country and you are bound to show aggression. There’s nothing wrong with it. Even if you throw the ball back, that’s completely alright. No bowler in this world wants to be hit for two sixes, and that is the kind of response I want to see from my players. I would have been fine even if Arshdeep had not apologised to Daryl Mitchell,” Gambhir said on the ANI Podcast.
“There was no need to say sorry. It’s good on him that he apologised, but on a cricket field, there are no friends and no enemies. Your job is simply to win games for your country,” he added.
Daryl Mitchell managed only 17 runs off 11 balls before getting out.
Arshdeep finished wicketless in his four overs but gave away 32 runs.
India secured the final by 96 runs, successfully defending their T20 World Cup title and etching their name in history as the first team to achieve three victories (2007, 2024, 2026). The triumph, achieved in Ahmedabad, their home ground, added an extra layer of significance for both players and supporters.
The incident underscored the match’s high stakes, yet Gambhir emphasized that on-field aggression is a natural component of the game when playing for one’s nation.
For all latest updates of T20 World Cup 2026 you can visit: https://www.cricketcountry.com/icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2026/
