Odisha Govt Seeks Explanation from OCA Over Barabati Stadium Floodlight Failure

Cuttack: The Odisha government has decided to seek an explanation from the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) after a floodlight failure halted play for 25 minutes during the India-England ODI at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. The unexpected disruption occurred in the seventh over of India’s chase, forcing Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill to leave the field and sparking frustration among players and spectators.

State Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, who was present at the stadium alongside Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, stated that despite prior precautions and arrangements, the floodlight glitch caused an embarrassing delay.

The OCA attributed the failure to a technical issue in the light’s generator system. OCA Secretary Sanjay Behera revealed that the delay was worsened by an obstructed backup generator, which was blocked by the parked team bus. Additionally, efforts to locate the bus driver further prolonged the restoration process.

With the incident drawing widespread criticism, the Odisha government is demanding answers from OCA to ensure such mishaps do not occur in future international matches hosted at the venue.