India-England ODIs: OCA issued notice over Barabati Stadium's floodlight failure
What's the story
The state government has issued a show-cause notice to the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA), after a major floodlight failure at the Barabati Stadium, Cuttack.
It all happened during the second ODI between hosts India and England on Sunday night, delaying the game by over 30 minutes.
This technical glitch left not just the OCA, but also the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the Odisha Government, red-faced.
Notice details
State government demands explanation from OCA
The notice was issued by Siddhartha Das, the director of sports for the Odisha Government, on Monday morning.
The notice asked the OCA to explain in detail the disruption within 10 days. It also asked them to name those responsible for this lapse and explain preventive measures for future incidents.
"This incident led to a 30-minute suspension of the match, causing inconvenience to players and spectators," said Das in his notice.
Match impact
Floodlight failure disrupts India's chase
The floodlight issue transpired in the seventh over of India's run-chase, as openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were building momentum toward England's 305-run target.
The unexpected disruption saw both teams leaving the field before the issue was resolved, adding an unanticipated challenge to India's chase and momentarily changing the game's energy.
The incident in Cuttack has raised concerns over infrastructure preparedness at Barabati Stadium, which hosted its first 50-over match in six years.
Aftermath
OCA's response and political fallout
The notice was sent to OCA Secretary Sanjay Behera, as the association is functioning without a president. The association's CEO is former state player Subrata Behera.
Odisha government's intervention shows a push for accountability to avoid such disruptions in future high-profile matches.
Meanwhile, the incident has also triggered a political debate in Odisha with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) questioning BJP government's commitment toward organizing international matches.
Match
How the match panned out
India claimed an unassailable 2-0 led in the three-ODI series after beating England at the Barabati Stadium, Cuttack.
The Men in Blue successfully chased down 305, riding on an incredible century from skipper Rohit. His century-plus stand with Gill laid the foundation for India's win.
Ben Duckett and Joe Root earlier slammed half-centuries for England, while Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets.