Arshdeep Singh fined 15% match fee by International Cricket Council after throwing the ball at Daryl Mitchell during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Final. India beat New Zealand by 96 runs.
New Delhi: Arshdeep Singh has been fined 15% of his match fee and given one demerit point by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after an on-field incident with Daryl Mitchell during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final.
India won the final by 96 runs against New Zealand national cricket team at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, but the match also saw a brief moment of tension on the field.
What Happened During the Match?
The incident happened in the 11th over when New Zealand were chasing a huge target of 256 runs. At that time, they were struggling at 102/5.
Mitchell had already hit two sixes off Arshdeep earlier in the over. After fielding the ball in his follow-through, Arshdeep threw it towards the stumps, but the ball hit Mitchell on the pads.
Arshdeep walked back to his bowling mark without apologising immediately. Mitchell looked upset and walked towards him to question the action.
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav stepped in quickly and calmed the situation before it could turn into a bigger argument. Umpire Richard Illingworth also spoke to Arshdeep about the incident.
ICC’s Action
The ICC said Arshdeep broke Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which deals with throwing the ball at or near a player in a dangerous or inappropriate way during a match.
For this Level 1 offence, Arshdeep was fined 15% of his match fee and given one demerit point. He accepted the punishment, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
The charge was reported by the match officials, including umpires Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf.
Under ICC rules, if a player collects four demerit points in 24 months, they can face a match suspension. However, this is Arshdeep’s first offence in the last two years, so he will not face any ban.
Arshdeep apologises
After the match, Arshdeep apologised to Mitchell. In a video shared by the New Zealand national cricket team, he was heard saying he was sorry for the throw.
During India’s victory lap interview, Arshdeep said the throw “reverse-swung” and accidentally hit Mitchell, and he wanted to apologise for it.
Despite the brief controversy, India had a historic night. The team won the T20 World Cup final by 96 runs, securing their third T20 World Cup title.
Arshdeep was one of India’s key bowlers throughout the tournament, and this incident was just a small mistake in an otherwise strong performance.
In the end, the fine is only a small note in a memorable victory for Indian cricket. Arshdeep admitted his mistake, apologised, and moved on from the moment.
