'Yeh sahi nahi hai...': Why Rohit Sharma expressed displeasure over pitch invader question

NEW DELHI: Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma expressed his frustration during a pre-match press conference on Tuesday when asked about a pitch invader during the recent warm-up match against Bangladesh. The incident took place at the Nassau County International Stadium, where Team India is set to play its opening matches of the T20 World Cup.

Rohit appeared visibly irritated when an Indian journalist inquired about the pitch invasion incident from the June 1 game.



"During the warm up game, a fan had suddenly come on the ground. The way the security caught him, you were requesting him to take it easy. Can you tell us about the emotion at that time?" the reporter asked.

Rohit promptly made his disappointment known, emphasizing that such incidents should not be encouraged or given undue attention.



"Pahle toh yeh main kahunga ki koi bhi aise ground mein intrude na kare. Ye sahi nahi hai aur yeh sawaal bhi sahi nahi tha. Kyunki yeh cheez ko nahi promote karna hai ki kaun bhaagke aa raha hai ground me. Dekhiye players ki security important hai, waise hi bahar jo log hai unki bhi security important hai. Bahar jo baithe hai unke liye bhi important hai yeh samajhna ki kaide kanoon hote hai har country ke aur unko follow karna unko samajhna bahut important hai. Match dekhiye aaram se baith ke, inta badiya stadium banaya hai. Araam se dekh sakte hai match, ground me bhaag ke aane ki jarurat nahi hai," Rohit responded.

Rohit elaborated on the need to respect the rules and regulations of the host country, encouraging fans to enjoy the game from the stands without disrupting the play.

The incident occurred during Bangladesh's chase in the warm-up match, when a spectator breached security to meet Rohit. The fan managed to hug the Indian captain before being tackled and handcuffed by two policemen. Rohit was seen requesting the security personnel to handle the fan gently and not hurt him.

When asked if such incidents act as a distraction for the players, Rohit dismissed the concern, stating: "Distraction nahi hai, humara focus kuch aur cheezon par hota hai. Match par hota hai, so such acts don’t distract players."

Team India is set to play their opening match of the T20 World Cup against Ireland on Wednesday, followed by a high-profile clash against Pakistan on June 9.