Jacob Bethell's Kindness to Injured Bird Wins Hearts in England-India ODI
During the second ODI, Shreyas Iyer's drive accidentally struck a seagull, prompting England's Jacob Bethell to rescue it.
A rare and unfortunate moment occurred during the second ODI between India and England when Shreyas Iyer's crisp drive off Saqib Mahmood struck a seagull on the field. The ball hit the bird in the 33rd over, causing it to fall injured near the cover region.
England fielder Jacob Bethell immediately rushed over, gently picked up the seagull, and handed it to a steward for care. The heartwarming gesture went viral on social media, with fans praising Bethell's humanity. Despite the incident, play continued, and India completed only one run from the delivery.
India batted first in Cardiff, posting a competitive total after early wickets. Virat Kohli hit a half-century, while Shreyas Iyer scored 66 off 71 balls, redeeming himself after a poor T20I series. The match proceeded with no special rules for the bird strike, remaining a talking point for sportsmanship.