A fan breached security and ran onto the field to take a selfie with the star all-rounder during a dramatic moment in Hardik Pandya’s return to competitive cricket in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The moment came in the match between Baroda and Punjab at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Despite the distraction, Hardik Pandya finished with bowling figures of 1/52 in 4 overs.
Hardik Pandya Returns to Domestic Cricket After Injury
This game was the first for Hardik Pandya since the Asia Cup Super 4 match against Sri Lanka in Dubai, and his comeback becomes vital for India as he strives to attain full fitness with a five-match T20I series against South Africa set to begin on December 9.
In the Baroda setup, captained by his brother Krunal Pandya, Hardik opened the bowling against Punjab’s aggressive top-order pair—Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh. His participation is being closely watched by selectors ahead of the series announcement.
Pitch Invasion Raises Security Concerns
The clip shows what hardik Pandya earned 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/moXCSX0xm1
— Arjun 💫 (@hardiknation) December 2, 2025
That was the viral moment, midway through the over, when suddenly a fan breached security and came near Hardik Pandya to click a selfie. The intruder was then taken away by security personnel.
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Security breaches of this sort have grown all too common in Indian cricket. As recently as in the celebrations of Virat Kohli’s 52nd ODI century, a fan ran onto the field and touched the feet of the star batter.
Mixed Bowling Performance on Return
While Hardik Pandya finally managed to break Punjab’s strong stand with the wicket of Anmolpreet Singh on 69, he also finished as Baroda’s most expensive bowler, leaking 52 runs. Punjab’s batting unit dominated large phases of the match, putting pressure on Baroda’s bowling lineup. Selection for the T20I squad is just around the corner, and the selectors will be assessing Hardik’s bowling rhythm and fitness. Above all, his batting form can help India and Baroda immensely in the coming weeks.
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