Jarvo 69 invades the pitch, acting as an Indian player
Pitch invasions have also been the new way in which fans are able to add a fun element to the game. It is not just the way in which they enter the pitch, breaching the security, it is also the reaction given by players, which makes the moment more hilarious and highlight worthy. Let’s take a look at some funny pitch invasion moments that we have witnessed in cricket history.
Watching the Test series between India and England is not always about Kohli against Anderson or Bumrah against Root. It has also been about Jarvo 69, invading the pitch. His pitch invasions have been like no other, and some fans even say that he is the Head Coach of all the pitch invaders.
During the 2021 Test series between India and England, Jarvo entered the pitch not once, not twice, but three times. He first entered wearing the Indian team jersey, and even told the guards to watch his jersey and number, telling them that he was a part of the Indian team. Spotting Jarvo 69 invading the pitch was one of the things Indian fans missed the most, after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
In what way could pitch invasions happen? Various fans have just breached the security of the stadium and were able to hop over the barricades to enter the pitch. But during a Ranji Trophy match between Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, the pitch invasion took place on a next level, when a car drove into the field.
The driver of the car was a fan, and as soon as he saw a lack of security at the stadium, he drove in with his car. Things took a serious turn as he took a turn, which almost hit Gautam Gambhir. Although the security personnel were able to come in time to get the car out of the stadium, this incident still remains one of the most hilarious when it comes to fan invasions.
A cricket fan would surely have a dream to meet his idol on the cricket field, whether it is becoming a player of his team or entering as a fan. Such an incident took place in 2017, during the second ODI match between India and Australia, which was being played at Nagpur. India batted first and set a total of 250 for Australia, as the match entered a break.
When the Indian players came back to the field, MS Dhoni was with the gloves, ready to give his best. As the team was taking positions, a Thala Fan invaded the field and started running towards Dhoni. To add a bit more fun to this moment, Dhoni also started running away from the fan, creating a wholesome fan moment.
During the Indian Premier League, it is frequent for the fans to invade the ground staff and security to get a chance and meet their favourite players. We have seen the pitch being invaded by the fans to meet their idols, such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, and a lot more, but in IPL 2025, a fan went down the ground to meet Riyan Parag.
Parag had recently made his debut for the Indian team in 2024 and has been an integral part of the T20 side. In an IPL match this season, a fan entered the pitch and bowed down to Riyan Parag, touching his feet as a gesture of respect. To the surprise of many, some fans even say that Parag must have paid the fan to invade the field.
Not all fan moments are wholesome for the players. Some can even be scary, as an incident took place with Rohit Sharma during the Indian Premier League 2024 edition. During the match, Rohit Sharma was busy setting the fielders, as he stood in the slip corridor. What he didn’t expect was a fan rushing towards him to meet.
As soon as the fan tapped on Rohit’s back, he got a little scared, as if the fan had pulled a jumpscare on the Indian skipper. Rohit was seen keeping his hands on his chest, which indicates that he didn’t expect that fan to show up at such a time when he was busy setting the field. Later, the fan had his moment with the Hitman, as he hugged him and later went back with the security.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 saw an interesting fan invasion, which took place during the Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. During the Boxing Day Test, a pitch invader was able to evade the security and enter the ground while the Indian team was fielding. He first went past Rishabh Pant and then rushed towards the Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma.
Fortunately, the Hitman was able to dodge the fan who came rushing towards him, and the fan later went towards Virat Kohli and kept his arms around his shoulder. To this hilarious moment, Virat Kohli also shared a light hug with the fan before he was finally caught by the security personnel at the MCG and taken off the ground.
Among all the moments we have discussed or the ones missed, it is the security guards who take the fans out if they have invaded the field. But that’s not what happens every time, as the players also take up the responsibility to ensure that the game is not disrupted. Such an incident took place in none other than the Women’s Premier League, where Alyssa Healy took the center stage.
Towards the final ball of the innings, UP Warriorz were bowling, and the umpire had stopped the bowler, noticing a pitch invader. But Healy didn’t want the momentum to be disrupted, so she decided to tackle the pitch invader all by herself as she went towards him. This was a hilarious moment, as even the commentators said that a wicket-keeper is capable of everything.