To add some fun to the high adrenaline match, a surprise "player" snuck onto the pitch, forcing the match to be halted. The "guest" was a black dog that entered the playing field when middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant were facing balls from Windies seamer Keemo Paul.
The ground staff tried to catch the dog, but it took to its heels giving them a slip. All while the players had a forced break and some fun for the cheering crowd in the gallery.
Turning point of the #INDvWI match. pic.twitter.com/lJ3KT2CPFF
— chinmay pattanaik (@Iamchinmay10) December 15, 2019
Netizens never let such occasions slip by, with one asking if it might not be Sanjay Manjrekar, Indian player-turned-cricket commentator. Some others pointed out that this could only happen in India.
A dog entered the field. Such an embarrassing and disgraceful situation. What is the administration doing? How did the security people let this happen? They should have never let Sanjay Manjrekar out of the commentary box in the first place. #INDvWI
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) December 15, 2019
Dog on the field! This happens only in India!? #INDvsWI pic.twitter.com/oMw9WGssga
— Nush 🌸 (@LazyLadyDoctor) December 15, 2019
And the old Indian tradition of having a dog wandered on cricket field is back😂@SirrrJadeja @bhogleharsha @sanjaymanjrekar#INDvsWI
— ~~ब्रह्मा ~~ (@v7qQR2lxhpZUsjq) December 15, 2019
Even Candian Akshay Kumar came at ground to watch Cricket match today. 😍😍#INDvWI pic.twitter.com/8HSQ9mYoRJ
— S. 💫 (@BadassAdian) December 15, 2019
Daniel Alexander in the house guys..#INDvWI pic.twitter.com/5bY72b13Ys
— Mubin (@_Mubean__) December 15, 2019
An amused legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, who was providing commentary, was heard jocularly saying “12th man on the field… 12th man on the field".
This is not the first time a dog has wandered onto a pitch. During India’s match against England a few years ago in the eastern port city of Visakhapatnam, a "cricket-crazy" dog stopped the play.
Fido in the outfield! Stray dog halts England versus India #cricket match (VIDEO) #INDvENG https://t.co/uVIFpic2f0 pic.twitter.com/e0tcueAeX3
— RT Sport (@RTSportNews) November 17, 2016