Coach Gambhir came to Arshdeep Singh's defense after being severely punished by the ICC for hitting Daryl Mitchell.

Following India's victory in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, the ICC sanctioned Arshdeep Singh for violating the ICC Code of Conduct.

India performed brilliantly against New Zealand in the final in Ahmedabad, securing victory. However, a minor controversy erupted during the match, leading to ICC action against Arshdeep. Coach Gautam Gambhir has now responded.

Arshdeep Singh Hits Daryl Mitchell

During the final, a throw by Arshdeep Singh struck New Zealand batsman Daryl Mitchell. Mitchell appeared upset following the incident, and a heated exchange ensued between the two players.

Umpires and captain Surya defused the situation, and Arshdeep later apologized to Daryl Mitchell.

Following the incident, the ICC investigated the matter and found Arshdeep guilty under Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct. This rule relates to throwing the ball or other equipment towards a player in an inappropriate or dangerous manner during a match. For this violation, Arshdeep Singh was fined 15 percent of his match fee and awarded one demerit point.

Arshdeep Singh's Clarification

After the match, Arshdeep Singh clarified the incident, stating that he had no intention of causing injury.

He explained that the ball reversed slightly while throwing and hit Mitchell. Arshdeep immediately went to him and apologized.

Gautam Gambhir's Support

Indian team head coach Gautam Gambhir defended Arshdeep, saying that it is perfectly natural to show aggression while playing for the country.

Gambhir said that no bowler wants to be hit for consecutive sixes, so he felt there was nothing wrong with it. I want my players to respond in the same way, and there's nothing wrong with that. Even if they apologize later, there's nothing wrong with that.