In a surprising twist during the third T20I between India and South Africa, play was briefly halted after only one over of South Africa’s chase due to a sudden invasion of flying ants at the Centurion Stadium. Unlike typical interruptions caused by rain or bad light, this game had to be stopped because the swarm of insects posed a significant distraction, especially for players on the field.
The unexpected delay came just as Hardik Pandya was preparing to bowl the second over of the innings. South Africa, who had started their chase at seven runs with no loss after one over by Arshdeep Singh, had to pause as umpires made the call to halt the game.
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The situation proved challenging for players, particularly Arshdeep, who was visibly disturbed by the insects and was seen swatting them away from his face. The stadium staff quickly brought out equipment, including a vacuum, to clear the pitch as flying ants had landed across the 22-yard strip.
First time I’ve seen play stopped because of flying ants #INDvSA #Cricket pic.twitter.com/XFFN2KgVwm
— The Drunken Copywriter (@G_S_Meredith) November 13, 2024
South Africa vs India match is stopped because lots of flying ants are having sex on the field 😭 pic.twitter.com/gdJyF0qvUF
— sohom (@AwaaraHoon) November 13, 2024
Play suspended due to FLYING ANTS! 🐜🤯 pic.twitter.com/pfeQsgpwDW
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 13, 2024
Fortunately, the match resumed at 11:10 pm local time following an inspection, and no overs were lost. This interruption came after South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram, winning his third consecutive toss in the series, elected to field first. The teams entered the game with the series tied at 1-1, adding extra intensity to the contest.
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In India’s innings, Tilak Varma was the star performer, smashing a sensational 51-ball century that helped India reach a formidable total of 219/6. Varma, alongside Abhishek Sharma, put on a powerful display, pushing South Africa to chase a high target of 220 at an asking rate of 11 runs per over. Despite the insect invasion, India’s strong batting display set up a thrilling chase for South Africa, with fans eager to see if they could level up to the required scoring pace.
