Bugs stop play! India-Pakistan Women's WC match faces bizarre stoppage
What's the story
The highly anticipated 2025 ICC Women's ODI World Cup clash between India and Pakistan was interrupted by an unexpected invasion of bugs. The match, held in Colombo, saw a swarm of bugs around the pitch area, forcing players to leave the field. It happened after India were asked to bat first by Pakistan. Notably, the match was halted for 15 minutes for pest control spray.
Captain's reaction
Fumigation on the field
As the bugs started swarming around the pitch area, Pakistan captain Fatima Sana quickly approached the umpires in the 28th over. A substitute fielder came to the field with a bug spray, leading to some humorous moments as Sana sprayed it into the air. However, when this initial attempt didn't work, two people wearing masks and carrying fogging machines were sent to the field.
Ongoing disruption
Another stoppage during the match
Even after the fumigation, the bug problem persisted. Jemimah Rodrigues was dismissed in the first over after play resumed, and Sneh Rana was seen keeping the bugs away. Another stoppage transpired during the 38th over when a bug flew through Rameen Shamim's glasses and into her eye after she bowled the first delivery.
Controversy
No handshake policy during toss
Earlier, captains Harmanpreet Kaur (India) and Fatima Sana (Pakistan) kept their distance during the toss in Colombo. The no-handshake policy between India and Pakistan continued amid the ongoing political tensions between the two nations. This came after India refrained from shaking hands with their Pakistan counterparts during the Men's T20 Asia Cup. According to Cricbuzz, the International Cricket Council (ICC) match officials had planned to brief both teams about the match-day protocols.