India pacer Arshdeep Singh and New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell were involved in a tense on-field moment during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8.
The brief altercation occurred during New Zealand’s run chase and quickly became one of the most talked-about incidents of the match.
Earlier in the game, India produced a dominant batting performance after being asked to bat first by New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner. Powered by explosive half-centuries from Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan, India posted a massive total of 255/5 in 20 overs, one of the highest totals ever recorded in a T20 World Cup knockout match.
New Zealand struggled to keep up with the daunting target. Despite useful contributions from Tim Seifert and Santner, the Kiwis were restricted to 159 runs, handing India a convincing 96-run victory.
India’s bowling attack dominated the second innings, with Jasprit Bumrah producing a brilliant spell and Axar Patel claiming three crucial wickets.
However, the biggest talking point came in the 11th over of New Zealand’s innings. After Mitchell struck Arshdeep for consecutive sixes, the Indian pacer fielded a return shot and threw the ball towards the stumps.
The throw unexpectedly struck Mitchell even though the batter was safely inside his crease.
The impact left Mitchell visibly frustrated as Arshdeep initially walked back to his bowling mark without apologising. The situation briefly escalated, prompting India captain Suryakumar Yadav to step in and calm the New Zealand batter. The on-field umpire also issued a warning to Arshdeep following the incident.
Later in the over, Arshdeep approached Mitchell and apologised, easing tensions between the two players. After the match, the Indian pacer clarified that the throw was unintentional.
“My throw actually reverse-swung and hit Mitchell. I just went up to him and apologised because I didn’t mean to hit him,” Arshdeep explained in a post-match interview.
Mitchell was eventually dismissed for 17 runs by Axar Patel, as India sealed a dominant victory to lift their third T20 World Cup title, becoming the first team in history to achieve the milestone.
