Punjab Kings pacer Arshdeep Singh came under heavy criticism after a viral video involving Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma created controversy online. The issue gained more attention after Tilak’s explosive innings against the Punjab Kings and the Mumbai Indians’ social media post following the match.
Viral interaction creates controversy
Before the IPL 2026 clash between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, a video featuring Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir surfaced online. In the clip, Arshdeep jokingly used the word “andhera” and said, “Oye Andhere, sunscreen lagaaya?” while interacting with Tilak. The video quickly went viral and sparked strong reactions on social media.
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Full conversation of Arshdeep Singh’s racist remarks against Tilak Varma:
— Abhishek Kumar (@Abhishek060722) May 14, 2026
When Tilak was going to the hotel:
Arshdeep Singh: “Oye, andhere!” (“Oye, darkness!”)
Tilak Varma: “Bhai, yeh sab sahi nahi hai. Encourage mat karo.”🥺
Arshdeep Singh: “Idhar aa, ‘encourage’. Kal match… pic.twitter.com/a9z3HDNRu2
Many users criticised the comments and called them insensitive, while others defended the players by saying it was friendly banter between teammates and friends. Despite mixed reactions, the video became one of the major talking points surrounding the match.
Tilak Varma shines for the Mumbai Indians
Amid the controversy, Tilak Varma produced a stunning innings for the Mumbai Indians against the Punjab Kings. Chasing a big total, the left-handed batter smashed an unbeaten 75 runs from just 33 balls. His aggressive knock included six fours and six sixes and helped the Mumbai Indians secure an important six-wicket victory.
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Open story, view & reply 👻#PBKSvMI pic.twitter.com/KBtOonNWKG
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 15, 2026
Following the match, the Mumbai Indians appeared to take a subtle dig at Arshdeep Singh’s “andhera” remark through a social media post. The franchise shared a video set to the popular song Channa Mereya, with the lyric “Andhera tera maine le liya” in the background. In the clip, Tilak Varma was seen emerging from the darkness while holding his post-match awards, including the Player of the Match trophy. The post quickly went viral, with many fans connecting it to the earlier controversy surrounding Arshdeep’s comment.
