(Video) Fan Invades Pitch Just to Take a Selfie With Hardik Pandya During SMAT Game in Hyderabad 

Hardik Pandya (77 off 42) and Shivalik Sharma's (47 off 31) 109-run stand helped Baroda defeat Punjab by seven wickets in the SMAT game.

(Video) Fan Invades Pitch Just to Take a Selfie With Hardik Pandya During SMAT Game in Hyderabad 

Fans invaded the pitch to meet Hardik Pandya, during SMAT game between Baroda and Punjab. (via Hindustan Times)

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On his return to competitive cricket, Hardik Pandya turned up to play for Baroda in the ongoing 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The match between Baroda and Punjab in Hyderabad was marred by frequent interruptions, as fans invaded the pitch to meet the 32-year-old star. 

Hardik Pandya had suffered a quadriceps injury during India’s 2025 Asia Cup ‘Super Fours’ encounter against Sri Lanka, that kept him out for the final against Pakistan. He was later ruled out of the white-ball tour to Australia, recovering from the injury. The injury layoff seems to be long one, as Pandya has also not been picked for the three ODIs against South Africa, with Nitish Kumar Reddy replacing him. 

However, the 32-year-old all-rounder made his long-awaited return to domestic cricket. He came out to play for Baroda in its 4th 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy game against Punjab, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Baroda had not fared well in the competition until today, having lost two out of its opening three games. Hardik Pandya’s return however, induced a new energy into the team.

Baroda bowled first, with Punjab posting a massive first innings total of 222/8. Abhishek Sharma scored 50 runs off just 19 balls, while Anmolpreet Singh contributed with 69 runs off 32 balls. All eyes were on Pandya, who did not have a great outing with the ball, giving away 52 runs in his four-over spell. Pandya’s spell was interrupted by a fan, who invaded the pitch and sprinted towards the all-rounder to touch his feet, before being dragged away by security personnel. 

The Hyderabad crowd witnessed such crazy fan moments throughout the match, all involving Hardik Pandya. While he was batting, another fan invaded that pitch and rushed towards the all-rounder for a selfie.

The 32-year-old was seen signaling the security officials not to act harshly with the fan, a gesture that went quickly viral on social media. Pandya reached with his hand out towards the fan, pulling him for a picture, before he was escorted out.

Such pitch invasions have now become a common occurrence, raising concerns over players’ security in India. Earlier this week, a fan fell at Virat Kohli’s feet at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi, while the batter was celebrating his hundred, in the ODI against South Africa.  

Six-hitting machine: Hardik Pandya smashes his way into T20 record books 

Hardik Pandya smashed his way into T20 record books, becoming the eighth player from the country to hit over 300 sixes in the shortest format. He achieved this historic feat while playing for Baroda, in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy encounter against Punjab. 

Hardik Pandya six record
Hardik Pandya became the eighth Indian batter to hit over 300 sixes in T20s. (via Free Press Journal)

Chasing down a massive 223-run target, Baroda got off to a good start, courtesy a 66-run opening stand between Vishnu Solanki and Shashwat Rawat. However, the two openers lost their wickets in the 6th and 8th over respectively, leaving Pandya with the responsibility to take the team over the line. The ace all-rounder scored 77 runs off just 42 balls himself, recording his 7th SMAT half-century. 

His knock was laced with four sixes, which took him to a historic T20 achievement. Hardik Pandya now boasts 303 sixes in the shortest format, a part of his impressive tally of over 5,700 runs in 309 T20s. He is the seventh Indian player to have hit 300+ sixes, behind Rohit Sharma (547 sixes), Virat Kohli (435), Suryakumar Yadav (393), Sanju Samson (364), MS Dhoni (350), KL Rahul (332), and Suresh Raina (325).

96 of those sixes have come in T20Is, in which Hardik Pandya has scored over 1,800 runs. He could add to his tally, becoming the fourth Indian player with a century of sixes, should he be picked in the Men in Blues’ squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. 

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