Synopsis
On day three of the Ranji Trophy at Arun Jaitley Stadium, three fans ran onto the field seeking to touch Virat Kohli's feet, prompting a significant security response. Off-spinner Shivam Sharma revealed that the fans pleaded for leniency from security personnel.Key Takeaways
- Three fans intruded during the Ranji Trophy match.
- Virat Kohli's return to Ranji after 12 years.
- Kohli requested leniency for a previous intruder.
- Delhi won by an innings and 19 runs.
- Kohli set to play in upcoming ODIs against England.
New Delhi, Feb 1 (NationPress) On the third day of the Ranji Trophy game between Delhi and Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, three overly enthusiastic supporters stormed the field to touch Virat Kohli's feet.
In a significant security oversight, despite the presence of numerous personnel, the incident occurred during the 18th over, just before the lunch interval, while Kohli was fielding at cover. The three fans were swiftly removed from the pitch by over 20 security officials rushing in from all directions.
Earlier, on the first day, a similar episode unfolded when a fan approached Kohli and was escorted away by security, with the batting legend requesting that the individual not be treated too harshly.
Delhi's victory by an innings and 19 runs over Railways within three days also marked Kohli's return to the Ranji Trophy for the first time in over 12 years. This moment drew significant attention, as a large crowd gathered at the stadium for the initial two days.
However, Kohli's much-anticipated comeback did not go as planned, as he was dismissed for a mere six runs off 15 balls, with pacer Himanshu Sangwan knocking his off-stump over.
Following Delhi's impressive win against Railways, Kohli took pictures with the stadium's ground and security staff before capturing moments with members from both teams in the dressing room.
Off-spinner Shivam Sharma, who delivered an outstanding performance with figures of 5-33 to secure Delhi's win on day three, disclosed that the intruders had pleaded with Kohli not to be punished by security.
“This is Virat's immense popularity, but it was still inappropriate for them to invade the field. No, Virat bhaiya didn’t say anything specific, but anything could have happened if they had brought something harmful. Those three individuals just requested Virat not to be harmed. They were simply taken away, and no harm was done to them,” he informed reporters post-match.
Kohli is slated to appear next for the Indian team in the upcoming ODI series against England, beginning on February 6 in Nagpur, followed by matches in Cuttack and Ahmedabad. This will be followed by the ICC Champions Trophy starting February 19, featuring India's matches against Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand in Dubai.
