The Odisha government has demanded an explanation from the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) following a floodlight failure that disrupted the second ODI between India and England at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium.
The incident, which caused a roughly 30-minute halt in play, has overshadowed the state’s return to hosting international cricket after an eight-year gap.
Details of the Incident:
The floodlight failure occurred during India’s chase, specifically in the seventh over, leading to a 25 to 35-minute suspension of the game.
One of the floodlight towers malfunctioned, causing a section of the field to be dimly lit and prompting the umpires to suspend play.
The outage forced batsmen Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill off the field, frustrating players and spectators alike.
Government Response:
State Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, present at the stadium with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, confirmed that the government would seek an explanation from the OCA regarding the glitch.
Suraj emphasized that the incident occurred despite all precautions and elaborate prior arrangements.
The government has initiated an inquiry and directed the OCA to provide clarification about the lighting system malfunction.
Congress MLA Sofia Firdous has called for an impartial investigation into the incident.
OCA’s Explanation:
OCA Secretary Sanjay Behera attributed the floodlight failure to logistical hurdles and a technical glitch in the generators.
Behera explained that each floodlight tower had two generators; however, when one malfunctioned, the backup generator’s deployment was delayed because a player’s vehicle was parked between the tower and the generator.
Locating the driver of the bus further slowed the process.
Reactions and Aftermath:
The incident sparked criticism on social media, with many calling out the BCCI and OCA for a lack of preparedness.
Cricket analyst Boria Majumdar expressed frustration, noting the momentum disruption and the venue’s poor advertisement.
The Odisha government is pressured to ensure the venue meets international standards before hosting future matches.
Despite the disruption, India secured a four-wicket victory, with Rohit Sharma scoring a match-winning century.
Chief Minister Majhi praised the efforts of the OCA, sports department, and police in managing the event and congratulated the Indian team.
