Ahmedabad: In a massive security breach, a man wearing a ‘Free Palestine’ t-shirt invaded the pitch during the India vs Australia ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 finals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
The Australian spectator was seen trying to hug Virat Kohli during the 14th over of India's innings. However, he was quickly removed by the security.
The Gujarat State Police has detained him and brought him to the Chandkheda Police Station here.
The Palestinian supporter was wearing red shorts and a white T-shirt with slogans ‘Stop bombing Palestine’ on the front and ‘Free Palestine’ on the back. He was also wearing a face mask with a Palestinian flag colour theme.
He entered the field during the match and said, "My name is John...I am from Australia. I entered (the field) to meet Virat Kohli. I support Palestine..."
The match was briefly halted due to the security breach. After the security officials apprehended the intruder, the match resumed, with Virat Kohli and KL Rahul building a steady partnership for India after losing 2 wickets in quick succession.
The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise assault on southern Israel. The attack claimed the lives of around 1, 400 people and Hamas took as many as 250 hostages.
Israel retaliated bombing Gaza and parts of Palestine. The military offensive has so far, killed nearly 13, 000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.