Jacob Bethell rescued an injured seagull after it was accidentally struck by Shreyas Iyer's shot during the second ODI in Cardiff
The England all-rounder's compassionate gesture went viral, earning widespread praise from fans on social media
England won the match by four wickets, with Joe Root's unbeaten 99 leveling the three-match ODI series 1-1
The second ODI between India and England at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, produced an unusual moment that quickly caught the attention of cricket fans. England all-rounder Jacob Bethell earned widespread praise after helping an injured seagull that was accidentally struck by a shot from Shreyas Iyer during India's innings.
The brief interruption had nothing to do with the contest itself, but Bethell's thoughtful gesture became one of the most talked-about moments of the match, with videos circulating widely across social media.
Bethell rushes to help after bird is hit
The incident occurred in the 33rd over when Saqib Mahmood bowled a length delivery outside off stump. Shreyas Iyer timed his drive well through the covers, but the ball struck a seagull that was standing on the outfield before it could reach the boundary. The impact slowed the ball considerably, allowing the Indian batters to take only a single.
Seeing the bird lying on the field, Bethell immediately ran over, carefully picked it up and carried it to a steward waiting near the boundary rope so it could receive treatment. The act drew applause from those at the ground and praise from fans online.
According to the Laws of Cricket, play continues if the ball accidentally hits an animal unless the umpires decide to stop the game. The batting side is awarded only the runs it completes, with no extra runs given because the ball hit the bird.
Joe Root stars as England level the series
England went on to defeat India by four wickets to level the three-match ODI series 1-1. India were bowled out for 233, with Virat Kohli (65) and Shreyas Iyer (66) leading the scoring before the visitors suffered a middle-order collapse. Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson claimed three wickets each to restrict the total.
In response, Joe Root anchored England's chase with an unbeaten 99, steering the hosts to 234/6 in 44.1 overs with 35 balls to spare. His composed innings helped England force a series decider at Lord's, while Bethell's sportsmanship provided one of the standout off-ball moments of the match.
