An unfortunate moment unfolded during the second ODI between India and England at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff when Shreyas Iyer’s powerful shot accidentally struck a seagull on the field, briefly bringing the match to a halt. The incident occurred on the third ball of the 33rd over, bowled by England pacer Saqib Mahmood.

Bowling from around the wicket, Mahmood delivered a length ball outside off stump, which Iyer drove firmly through the cover region. The ball unexpectedly hit a seagull resting on the outfield before rolling towards Ben Duckett at sweeper cover. Meanwhile, Iyer and Washington Sundar comfortably completed a single.

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Play was paused for a few moments as players and officials checked on the injured bird. England all-rounder Jacob Bethell quickly stepped in, gently picking up the seagull with both hands before carrying it to a steward near the boundary rope. His thoughtful gesture was warmly appreciated by the spectators, who applauded him as the bird was safely taken off the field.

Moment of the day 💫

Ball hit by shreyas iyer had hit the bird , Jacob bethel himself took the injured bird to groundstaff ❤️‍🩹 pic.twitter.com/KLPbHKuv0n

— Shashank (@Shashankmsdian) July 16, 2026

Earlier in the day, England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bowl first. The hosts made two changes to their playing XI, bringing in seamers Gus Atkinson and Saqib Mahmood in place of Liam Dawson and Josh Tongue.

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India were forced into one change, with Ishan Kishan replacing the unwell KL Rahul. The visitors entered the match aiming to clinch the three-match ODI series after registering a convincing six-wicket victory in the opening game at Edgbaston. However, the accidental collision involving the seagull became one of the most talked-about moments of an eventful afternoon in Cardiff.