Mumbai Indians appeared to take a subtle dig at Arshdeep Singh following their win over Punjab Kings, with many fans interpreting the franchise’s social media post as a response to the pacer’s controversial ‘andhera’ remark aimed at Tilak Varma. The clip celebrating Tilak’s match-winning knock quickly went viral and reignited discussions surrounding the earlier exchange.
The controversy began after a Snapchat video featuring Arshdeep and Tilak surfaced online. In the clip, the Punjab Kings pacer jokingly referred to Tilak as ‘andhere’ while teasing him about using sunscreen. He also pointed towards Naman Dhir and called him the real ‘noor’ from Punjab. Although the interaction appeared playful, many users on social media criticised Arshdeep and accused him of making remarks with racist undertones.
Despite the backlash surrounding the incident, Tilak seemed unfazed on the field. The stylish left-hander produced a sensational innings of 75 runs off just 33 deliveries to guide Mumbai Indians to a thrilling victory. He also collected the major awards after the match for his impactful performance.
Arshdeep faces fresh backlash after fan exchange goes viral
Soon after the game, MI uploaded a celebratory video featuring Tilak holding his awards. However, it was the opening sequence that grabbed attention online. The clip began in complete darkness while the lyric ‘Andhera tera main le liya’ from the song Channa Mereya played in the background. Fans across X and Instagram quickly interpreted it as a cheeky response aimed at Arshdeep and PBKS.
Mumbai Indians defeated Punjab Kings by six wickets at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on May 14. PBKS, led by Shreyas Iyer, were asked to bat first by stand-in MI skipper Jasprit Bumrah. Punjab looked set for a massive total at 107/1 in the 12th over before suffering a dramatic collapse to 140/7.
Shardul Thakur starred with the ball for Mumbai Indians, claiming a four-wicket haul during the middle overs. Azmatullah Omarzai then played a crucial cameo of 38 off 17 balls, while a late unbeaten stand between Impact Player Vishnu Vinod and Xavier Bartlett added 34 runs off just 12 deliveries to lift PBKS to 200/8.
In reply, MI lost early wickets before Sherfane Rutherford and Tilak steadied the innings with a vital 61-run partnership. Later, Will Jacks joined Tilak to add a rapid 56-run stand off only 20 balls, helping MI chase down the target with one ball remaining.
