A fan of Palestine in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict ran over the pitch during the first innings of the ongoing India vs. Australia ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad and tried to embrace Virat Kohli.
The incident occurred in the fourteenth over of the match when the fan got past the security cordon and made contact with Kohli. Social media posts and videos featured the man sporting a white T-shirt with the words “free Palestine” on the back and “Stop bombing Palestine” printed on the front. Additionally, he was wearing a face mask with a Palestinian flag on it and holding what appeared to be a Pride banner.
When India lost three wickets in the first eleven overs of Kohli’s batting partnership with KL Rahul, the fan waltzed across the field.
After pursuing the individual, the security personnel were able to escort him out of Kohli and the park. The man was reportedly taken into custody by the local police for violating security.
Notably, this is the second World Cup match in which a pitch invader has cut short play between these two teams. Notoriety pitch invader Daniel Jarvis, aka Jarvo 69, strolled over the field while wearing the Indian shirt during the opening game at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The repeat offender succeeded in entering the field of play and interacting with Virat Kohli, the former captain of India. As Jarvo 69 was speaking with Kohli, the security guards showed up and lifted him off the ground.
In the grand final, Australian captain Pat Cummins invited the hosts to bat first after winning the toss. Thanks to Rohit Sharma, India once again got off to a great start. Shubman Gill, though, faltered on the grand stage, misfiring on a draw straight down to Adam Zampa in the middle of the match.
As Sharma persisted in his assault, Travis Head produced an incredible catch while reversing from backward point position that ultimately pulled him down. With India down to 81 for 3 in 11 overs, Shreyas Iyer was also unable to hold out for too long.
