Rain was expected to stop a few stoppages in the India vs Pakistan clash in the Women’s World Cup on Sunday in Colombo. Well, there were stoppages, but it was due to buzzing insects in the air and not rain. Throughout the first 34 overs of the match, in which India were batting first, insects could be seen buzzing about in the frame almost everywhere, particularly around the pitch.
The first attempt at dealing with the situation was when Pakistan captain Fatima Sana had a word with the umpires during the 28th over. A substitute fielder then ran onto the field with a bug spray, leading to some comical scenes as Sana walked around spraying the air. That made little difference though and finally, a couple of people wearing respiration masks and carrying bug fogging machine ran on to the field and players went off it.
Naturally, the course of events was described humorously by the on-air commentators. Australia’s Mel Jones said: “Speaking to Sana as well. Kim Cotton, the fourth umpire, saying to the players, come off the field. And the reason they’re coming off the field is that we are going to do a little bit of fumigation. The old can of bug spray wasn’t enough, so they have brought in some reinforcements. This is the first time I have ever seen in a cricket match. I’ve seen bees swarm grounds… sandstorms…We had dragon flies the other day, but never seen a team, a game halted for fumigation. It’s a break now for 20 minutes to take the time now to clear the ground as well,”
It is to be noted that even that seemed to have made little difference. India lost Jemimah Rodrigues in the first over after resumption and at the end of the second, Sneh Rana could be seen waving her hands around trying to keep the bugs at bay, with the critters seemingly populating the space as much as they did before the fumigation. There was eventually another stoppage during the 38th over when the bowler, the bespectacled Rameen Shamim, needed some help after a bug went through her glasses and into her eyed after she bowled the first delivery.
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