The Odisha government on Monday asked the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) to submit an explanation for the disruption during the second ODI match between India and England at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. The floodlight malfunction during India’s 305 run chase on Sunday evening forced a 35-minute stoppage, triggering massive outrage against the organisers. With India 48 for no loss in 6.1 overs, the tower stationed past the long-on boundary began to flicker before shutting down completely. India captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill soon walked to the dugout before the England team followed suit. According to OCA sources, the generator connected to one of the six floodlight structures at the venue had conked off, forcing a nearly 35-minute stoppage. “This incident led to about 30 minutes suspension of the match, causing inconvenience to players and spectators. The OCA is hereby directed to submit a detailed explanation for the cause of the disruption and identify the persons/ agencies who were responsible for such lapses and outline the measures taken to prevent similar incidents in the future,” said a letter issued by the Odisha sports department to the OCA. The OCA has been asked to submit the explanation within 10 days. The incident also raised serious concerns about OCA’s efficiency in hosting international matches at Barabati that hosted an ODI after six years. The incident on Sunday evening also triggered a political row with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the opposition party in Odisha questioning the BJP government’s seriousness in organising international matches.
