Indian fans and media, always sharp-eyed when it comes to stadium mishaps in Pakistan, found themselves in an unexpected spotlight—this time, at home! A floodlight malfunction at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium led to a 35-minute stoppage in the second ODI between India and England, leaving players, officials, and spectators in the dark—literally.
The power outage struck in the seventh over of India’s chase of 305, just as openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill had given the team a flying start. With one of the floodlights suddenly shutting down, umpires had no choice but to halt the game, much to the frustration of both teams.
Taking swift action, the Odisha government has sent a show cause notice to the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA), demanding an explanation for the disruption. Officials have been given 10 days to identify the cause and ensure such mishaps don’t repeat.
So, what went wrong? According to reports, a generator failure was to blame. OCA Secretary Sanjay Behera explained that while a backup was available, switching it on took time as a players’ vehicle was inconveniently parked in the way—talk about an unexpected roadblock!
With Cuttack hosting its first ODI in six years, this incident has raised concerns about the venue’s preparedness for major international matches. As the debate heats up, one thing is certain—this time, the jokes about power failures won’t be coming from across the border!