India head coach Gautam Gambhir has backed pacer Arshdeep Singh following a tense on-field moment with Daryl Mitchell during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Ahmedabad. Gambhir made it clear that he had no issue with the aggression shown by the young fast bowler and even suggested that such intensity is part of competitive cricket.

The incident took place during the 11th over of New Zealand’s chase at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Chasing a daunting target of 256, New Zealand were already under immense pressure when Mitchell launched a counterattack. The Kiwi batter smashed Arshdeep for two consecutive sixes on the first two deliveries of the over.

A few balls later, Mitchell pushed a wide yorker back toward the bowler. Arshdeep reacted quickly and hurled the ball back toward the stumps — a common aggressive response often seen from bowlers trying to catch a batter short of the crease.

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However, the throw accidentally struck Mitchell on the body instead of hitting the stumps. The New Zealand batter reacted angrily and exchanged words with Arshdeep, who turned away and began walking back to his mark. The on-field umpires stepped in to calm the situation, while India captain Suryakumar Yadav also approached Mitchell to ease tensions. Arshdeep later apologised to the batter during the match.

Despite the brief flashpoint,  Gautam Gambhir defended his bowler and insisted that aggression on the cricket field is completely natural.

“That is okay. You’re representing your country. You’re bound to show aggression. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Gautam Gambhir told ANI. “No bowler likes to get hit for two sixes. And that is the kind of response I want to see from my players.”

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The Ahmedabad crowd initially booed the moment, but the atmosphere changed once India sealed the title. After the match, Arshdeep even joked that his throw had “reverse swung” into Mitchell, and the two players were later seen sharing a laugh. However, the International Cricket Council took disciplinary action, handing Arshdeep one demerit point along with a fine of 15 per cent of his match fee for the incident.