Table of Contents
In a tournament that has already seen its fair share of high-octane drama, a massive security breach at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on February 12, 2026, stole the spotlight during India‘s T20 World Cup 2026 Group A clash against Namibia. While the ‘Men in Blue’ were busy asserting their dominance on the field, the focus momentarily shifted to the stands, and then the pitch, as a passionate fan managed to evade the multi-layered security cordon. Dressed in a Virat Kohli jersey, the intruder’s target was India’s star all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, creating a stir among the capacity crowd in New Delhi.
T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav stops security to allow fan meeting with Hardik Pandya
The incident occurred during the second innings while India was defending their total of 209. Just as Pandya was preparing to start his over, a young fan wearing the iconic #18 jersey sprinted onto the playing area from the North Stand. The intruder managed to reach Pandya at the bowling crease, briefly catching the all-rounder off guard. In a scene that has become increasingly common in Indian cricket, the fan attempted to touch Pandya’s feet, a gesture of reverence that the star cricketer handled with surprising composure.
What stood out most was the intervention of Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav. As security personnel rushed to tackle and restrain the intruder, Suryakumar was seen signaling them to stop. He moved toward the scene and requested the guards to be gentle, ensuring the fan could have his moment with Pandya before being escorted off. Pandya, following his captain’s lead, remained calm and even patted the fan on the back. While the crowd cheered the heartwarming interaction, the Delhi Police and the DDCA could be under fire for the lapse.
Here’s the video:
The way Suryakumar Yadav stopped the security so that a fan could meet Hardik Pandya 🥹 pic.twitter.com/7aZVpJmgwY
— Amar💫 (@KUNGFU_PANDYA_0) February 13, 2026
Also READ: EXPLAINED: Why Mumbai Indians blocks RCB’s request to host IPL 2026 games at DY Patil Stadium?
T20 World Cup 2026: India thumps Namibia by 93 runs with help of Hardik’s all-round performance
On the cricketing front, India registered a clinical 93-run victory, their largest-ever margin of win in T20 World Cup history. The foundation was laid by Ishan Kishan, who hammered a blistering 61 off 24 balls, taking India to their fastest-ever team hundred in just 6.5 overs. Pandya played a crucial role with the bat as well, smashing 52 off 28 balls (4 fours, 4 sixes) to help India post 209/9, despite a late-innings collapse where they lost five wickets for just 10 runs to the brilliant Gerhard Erasmus (4/20).
The defense was led by the ‘Mystery Spinner’ Varun Chakravarthy, whose devastating spell of 3/7 dismantled Namibia’s middle order after they had gotten off to a promising start. Pandya capped off his ‘eventful’ night by picking up two wickets in two balls late in the innings, finishing with figures of 2/21. With two wins from two games, India now sits at the top of Group A, perfectly poised for their blockbuster showdown against Pakistan in Colombo this Sunday.
Also READ: Sanju Samson faces social media backlash after brief cameo against Namibia in T20 World Cup 2026
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: crickettimes.com
