Arshdeep Fined, Gets Demerit Point for Mitchell Incident

India fast bowler Arshdeep Singh has been fined 15 percent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the 2026 T20 World Cup final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

The sanction relates to Article 2.9 of the code, which concerns throwing the ball or any item of cricket equipment at or near a player in an inappropriate or dangerous manner during an international match.

The incident occurred in the 11th over of New Zealand’s chase of 256 when Arshdeep fielded the ball in his follow-through and threw it toward the stumps. The throw struck New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell on the pads, leading to a brief heated exchange between the two players. Arshdeep initially walked back to his mark without apologising, prompting Mitchell to approach him. India captain Suryakumar Yadav and on-field umpire Richard Illingworth stepped in to calm the situation.

Arshdeep later apologised to Mitchell after the over and clarified that the throw was not intentional. Speaking after India’s 96-run victory in the final, he explained that the ball had “reverse-swung” during the throw and accidentally hit the batter. A video shared on New Zealand’s social media later showed the pair shaking hands after the match.

The charge was laid by on-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf, along with third umpire Allahuddien Paleker and fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock.

This is Arshdeep’s first offence in a 24-month period. Level 1 breaches carry penalties ranging from an official reprimand to a fine of up to 50 percent of a player’s match fee, along with one or two demerit points.

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