The overzealous cricket fan who dodged security personnel to hug Virat Kohli during the India-Afghanistan T20I in Indore is being celebrated as a hero in his hometown.
A video has gone viral showing the young man getting garlanded by his friends upon his return. They are seen cheering his audacious stunt at the Holkar stadium which enabled him to meet his icon Kohli up and close.
The fans had entered the stadium stands using a valid ticket. However, in his enthusiasm to meet Kohli, he scaled the fence and invaded the playing area. The security guards tried unsuccessfully to stop him as he ran onto the field and hugged Kohli from behind while India was fielding.
The guy who hugged Virat Kohli in Indore is getting felicitated by his friends.pic.twitter.com/GiHSvrdLcE
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 16, 2024
After the brief embrace, the guards escorted him off the ground and he was subsequently detained by local police. He has been identified simply as an ardent admirer of Virat Kohli who wanted to meet his cricketing hero.
While the breach was a security risk and violated protocol, the young man’s friends and local community are celebrating his daredevil act.
The video of him returning home to cheering supporters shows just how highly his Kohli-hugging escapade is being looked upon. From dodging security personnel to receiving garlands – it’s been an eventful past few days for the die-hard Virat Kohli fan.
The Indore T20I may have ended in defeat for India, but this fan certainly won hearts for the lengths he went to just to meet his idol up close and personal.
