Xtra Time Web Desk: At a time when pitch invasion by spectators is becoming commonplace in cricket, a video of a Virat Kohli supporter breaching security at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and running onto the field went viral on Monday, March 25. During Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2024 home game against Punjab Kings, the play was halted for a couple of minutes when a pitch invader tried to get close to Virat and embrace the superstar cricketer. While the fan was quickly taken off the field by security personnel, a video circulating on social media showed a couple of security officials manhandling the pitch invader.
A section of fans on social media claimed that it was the pitch invader who copped blows from the security officials after he was taken off the field. In the video that was seemingly shot from a stand on the first floor of the iconic venue, bouncers can be seen thrashing a man, whom they pulled out of the field of play. The manhandling continued until police officials arrived and escorted him out of the scene.
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Virat was stunned as the pitch invader ran directly towards him and fell at his feet after the former RCB captain walked out to bat along with his opener partner Faf du Plessis in the second innings of the match. The incident happened between 9:15 pm and 9:20 pm before which the pitch invader was seen scaling and jumping over the fence at the stadium.
This is not the first time a pitch invader has tried to interact with Virat on the field in 2024. During India’s T20I series against Afghanistan, a pitch invader stormed on the field and hugged Virat, who was fielding along the boundary at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
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During the ODI World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, a pitch invader ran onto the field and tried to hug Virat, who was batting in the middle.
The man who ran on the field wore a Palestine mask and had a message written over his t-shirt, both at the front and on the back. A case was registered against Johnson at Chandkheda Police Station under sections 332 and 447 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by the Ahmedabad Police.