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‘No Friends!’: Gambhir Against Arshdeep Saying ‘Sorry’ To Mitchell | Cricket News
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India coach Gautam Gambhir backed Arshdeep Singh for throwing the ball at New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, encouraging the ‘aggression’ and saying he didn’t need to apologize for it.
Arshdeep Singh was found guilty of breaching ICC Code of Conduct
India head coach Gautam Gambhir believes Arshdeep Singh didn’t need to apologize for hitting New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell with the ball during the 2026 T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad. Gambhir said that players are ‘bound to show aggression’ because there are ‘no friends on the cricket field’, encouraging more players to show the same ‘kind of response’ after getting hit for a couple of sixes.
It happened in the 11th over of the second innings in the final. New Zealand were staring at a defeat in the 256-run chase when Mitchell smacked Arshdeep for maximums on the first two balls. On the fifth ball, Mitchell pushed a wide yorker back to the bowler and the left-arm pacer threw it back at the stumps.
Usually, bowlers do it to hit the stumps and show aggression. But Arshdeep’s smacked Mitchell flush on the body. The Kiwi was furious and said something angrily to the pacer, who turned around and walked back, only to get a lecture from the on-field umpires. India captain Suryakumar Yadav, meanwhile, spoke to Mitchell. Arshdeep eventually apologized to Mitchell a few minutes later.
“That is okay,” Gambhir told ANI. “You’re representing your country. You’re bound to show aggression. There’s nothing wrong with that. No bowler likes to get hit for two sixes. And that is the kind of response I want to see from my players. And that there is nothing wrong. Or in fact, even if sorry is not said, I was absolutely fine with it. I was absolutely fine. He doesn’t need to say sorry. Yes, it’s good on him that he apologised. But on a cricket field, there are no friends. Neither are there any enemies,” he added.
The Ahmedabad crowd had booed the exchange at the moment. Later, after India sealed the win to secure the title, Arshdeep joked that his throw ‘reverse swung’ to hit the opponent, and soon, he and Mitchell were seen having a laugh about the incident too.
But the International Cricket Council (ICC) imposed one demerit point and a fine of 15% of match fees on the Indian pacer.
March 12, 2026, 13:17 IST
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