The first innings of the 14th World Cup 2023 match at the EKana Cricket Stadium was a wild roller-coaster ride. After an initial opening partnership of 125, Sri Lanka’s innings took a catastrophic turn, and they were eventually dismissed for 209.
Interestingly, the on-field action was not the only aspect affected by chaotic circumstances; the game was also engulfed in peculiar natural events. The early phase of the game unfolded under a scorching sun, with temperatures soaring in the northern Indian city.
However, without any prior warning, the skies suddenly turned gray, leading to a rain interruption in the 33rd over. Although the players returned to the field with no overs lost, this was just the start of the chaos.
Lightning and loud thunders were soon followed by a sandstorm within the stadium, accompanied by powerful gusts of wind that caused jerseys to flutter about. The situation reached its peak in the last 10 overs when Cricket World Cup banners wrapped around the stands dramatically came loose and fell amidst the crowd, resulting in a play stoppage.
Ekana stadium Lucknow
— Samyak Mordia (@SamyakMordia) October 16, 2023
Australia v. Sri Lanka pic.twitter.com/Z3ZasLsegx
Things falling off the roof of the stadium during the game. These guys were calling it a top 5 stadium in the world during a Lucknow video package 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀pic.twitter.com/ZAau8gm6ff
— F (@fas___m) October 16, 2023
The security personnel acted swiftly, evacuating the affected area, and fortunately, no injuries were reported. Crowd footage captured banners continuing to fall even after the first innings concluded, leading to a delayed start to the second innings due to the ongoing adverse weather conditions.
