A six from Daryl Mitchell during the 3rd T20I at Henry Stadium, Wellington, on October 27, 2026, came alarmingly close to striking a security guard who had no idea the ball was heading his way. The incident took place off the first ball of the fifth over, bowled by Arshdeep Singh, and quickly became one of the more unsettling moments of the match.
Mitchell pulled a short delivery from Arshdeep and connected with considerable force, sending the ball flat and at pace towards the boundary rope. The security guard stationed near that rope was looking towards the stands at the time, completely unaware of the ball flying in his direction. The ball narrowly missed him, and the replay made the near-miss look even more alarming than it appeared in real time.
Arshdeep himself could only watch as the ball travelled at pace towards the steward. Mitchell was visibly worried as he tracked the ball’s path, and the replay confirmed just how close the guard had come to being struck flush on the head. The incident drew significant attention given how flat and hard the ball had come off the bat. Absolutely nailed, the pull shot carried the kind of pace that left very little time for anyone near the rope to react.
How was New Zealand’s powerplay going when the incident occurred?
The six arrived during a productive powerplay for New Zealand. By the time the six overs were complete, the hosts had posted 58 for 1, a competitive platform that reflected a positive start to their innings. Mitchell was among those driving that momentum at the top of the order, and his pull off Arshdeep was among the more eye-catching strokes of the powerplay. New Zealand had made three changes to their side for this match by bringing in Adam Milne, Matthew Fisher and Kyle Jamieson.
What was the series context heading into the third match?
India arrived at Henry Stadium, Wellington, with a 2-0 lead in the T20I series, having won both earlier matches. The visitors chose to field an unchanged side for the third game, while New Zealand made three alterations to their playing eleven in an attempt to change the outcome of the series.
