 "India all-rounder Hardik Pandya shields himself from flying ants during the third T20I against South Africa at Centurion's SuperSport Park. Reuters")
While cricket witnesses plenty of interruptions due to weather, mostly due to rain and occasionally because of factors such fog, there have been a few instances of a game being halted due to bizarre seasons. On Wednesday, the sport made a new entry in the list of unusual stoppages of play with the third T20I between South Africa and India in Centurion being halted due to flying ants.
The incident took place shortly after Ryan Rickelton and Reeza Hendricks began the Proteas’ chase of the 220-run target set by the Men in Blue.
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While the presence of insects and birds at a cricketing venue isn’t any unusual, the fact that there was an entire swarm of flying ants that was making it difficult for the players to focus on the match was what led to the umpires calling the players back to the pavilion. Play eventually resumed 30 minutes later with no overs lost.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIt’s not just streakers who enter the playing area without authorisation, as there have been a few incidents of snakes slithering through the grass and causing panic. A Ranji Trophy match in Delhi had to be stopped after a car had entered the playing area.
There was one game in South Africa that had to be stopped after the ball that was struck for a six landed on a pan of fried calamari, and was too hot to handle for a bit. And a match between India and New Zealand in Napier was stopped due to sunlight – which appeared directly in front of the batters, impairing their vision in the process.
And flying ants aren’t the only insects to wreak havoc with swams of bees having forced both players and umpires alike to go front on the field on multiple occasions.