Insect Invasion Halts South Africa vs India T20 Match

The third T20 International between South Africa and India was paused due to a swarm of flying ants at Centurion Park, Pretoria, causing a half-hour delay. South Africa, chasing India's 219 for six aided by Tilak Varma's 107-run innings, was at seven without loss when the interruption occurred.

A sudden invasion of flying ants disrupted the third Twenty20 International cricket match between South Africa and India at Centurion Park in Pretoria, causing players to leave the field on Wednesday. The match was halted temporarily due to the presence of numerous insects, which made it impossible for play to continue.

With South Africa eyeing a challenging target of 219 runs set by India, thanks to an impressive unbeaten 107 from Tilak Varma, their innings had barely begun at seven without loss before play was paused. This isn't the first time insects have interrupted a match in South Africa; back in 2017, bees caused a similar halt in a game against Sri Lanka.

The incident led to nearly 30 minutes of delay before the match could resume, highlighting the ongoing challenges of outdoor sports and wildlife interactions. Players, umpires, and spectators were determined to see the game resume, waiting patiently as the situation was brought under control.

(With inputs from agencies.)