Breaking through security, scaling a wired barrier, and landing at the feet of his idol—18-year-old Rituparno Pakhira went to extreme lengths to meet Virat Kohli during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL 2025 clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens. His actions, however, came with consequences—he was banned from the stadium for the entire season and spent a day in jail.
Yet, for Pakhira, the punishment was worth it. He managed to touch Kohli’s feet and even received a warm embrace from the cricketing superstar. “The moment I touched his feet, Virat Kohli sir picked me up, asked my name and said ‘jaldi se bhaag ja’ (run away fast). Kohli sir even asked the security personnel coming to catch me to not hit me and asked them to escort me out of the ground gently,” he told the Times of India.
His determination to meet Kohli was unwavering, and he had no regrets about his actions. “I had planned to enter the ground at any cost and prepared myself. I do not have any regrets. I am very happy that I was successful and that I could touch my god,” he added.
The dramatic scene unfolded right after Kohli had reached his half-century. As Pakhira sprinted towards him and clung to his legs, Kohli appeared momentarily startled but handled the situation with composure and kindness.
Kohli, meanwhile, went on to steer RCB to victory, scoring an unbeaten 59 off 36 balls, smashing three sixes and four fours. RCB chased down the target comfortably, securing a seven-wicket win to kick off their IPL 2025 campaign in style.
With his knock, Kohli also etched another record to his name, becoming the third batsman to score over 1,000 runs against KKR, joining David Warner (1,093) and Rohit Sharma (1,070). However, he remains the only player to achieve this milestone against four different IPL teams—CSK, DC, PBKS, and KKR.
For Pakhira, meeting Kohli was a dream come true—one that came at a cost but left him with an unforgettable memory.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
