Team India showcased their dominance on the cricket field, defeating Afghanistan by eight wickets with an impressive 15 overs to spare during their second match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The thrilling action in the game had fans on the edge of their seats, as skipper Rohit Sharma’s incredible 131-run performance and Virat Kohli’s unbeaten half-century ensured a comfortable victory for the Indian team.
However, it wasn’t just the cricketing action that had people talking. Off the field, an unfortunate incident unfolded as a major brawl erupted among Indian and Afghanistan fans in the stands of the Arun Jaitley Stadium. A viral video captured the chaotic scene, with fans engaged in a full-blown altercation, exchanging slaps and punches. This unsavoury incident once again brought to light the issue of fan violence during cricket matches in India.
Watch the fight here:
Lafda bhi ho gya pic.twitter.com/qFSm6dufCr
— KUNAL DABAS (@kunaldabas_) October 11, 2023
Notably, this wasn’t the first time that Arun Jaitley Stadium had witnessed such disturbances. Earlier in the year, during an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match between Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, another video had gone viral, showcasing fans clashing in the stands.
Fan violence during cricket matches has unfortunately become a recurring problem, not limited to India alone. In a recent incident, Afghanistan and Pakistan cricket fans were involved in a brawl after an ODI match in Colombo. A brief video clip depicted the confrontation, featuring a war of words between a Pakistani and an Afghan fan. What transpired after those initial 10 seconds remains unknown.
Going further back to the Asia Cup 2022, fans from Afghanistan and Pakistan engaged in a violent altercation at the Sharjah stadium. The clashes caused damage to the stadium property, and it was fueled by an on-field dispute between Afghan bowler Fareed Ahmed and Pakistani batter Asif Ali during the Super 4 stage match.
While the world celebrated Team India’s cricketing prowess, the incidents of fan violence serve as a reminder of the need for better security measures and responsible behaviour among spectators to ensure that the spirit of the sport remains undisturbed.
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