Watch: A spectator invaded the field during the second IND vs AFG T20I in Indore and embraced Virat Kohli near the boundary line before being taken away by security.
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India won the toss and elected to field for a second consecutive time in the series. Kohli missed out in the first game in Mohali but was back for the second.
Afghanistan started well with the bat. Gulbadin Naib scored 57 off 35 batting at No.3 and was helped by cameos from the middle order taking the visitors’ total to 172. The end of their innings was chaotic with two comical run outs off the last legal delivery.
Kohli, who was back in the T20I fold for the first time since November 2022, was a livewire on the field, fielding at the hotspots like he usually does.
At one point during Afghanistan’s innings, a fan breached the security and rushed towards Kohli who was standing near the boundary line. The fan touched Kohli’s feet and embraced him for a few seconds before security personnel came rushing to haul him away. Kohli seemed to hug the fan back before he was taken away by security.
In the run-chase, Kohli was in early after Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a golden duck. He took the attack to Afghanistan from the very beginning, scoring a quick cameo of 29 from just 16 balls. Among the five boundaries he hit were a lofted near-six down the ground similar to the shot he had hit against Haris Rauf at the MCGin the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (68 off 34) and Shivam Dube (63 off 32) then did the rest as India finished off the chase with more than four overs remaining.
Watch a pitch invader embrace Virat Kohli during the second IND vs AFG T20I in Indore:
Virat Kohli requested security personnel to be gentle with the fan who touched his feet & hugged him! 🥲💖@imVkohli • #INDvAFG • #ViratGang pic.twitter.com/dX0ggwwy46
— ViratGang.in (@ViratGangIN) January 15, 2024