Criticism on Gaddafi Stadium’s lights backfires as India faces similar floodlight failure at Cuttack

Indian media and social media users were quick to criticize the floodlights at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium following New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra’s head injury in the tri-series opener against Pakistan. 

However, their criticism took an ironic twist when a similar floodlight failure disrupted a match in India the very next day (today).

On Sunday, during the second ODI between India and England at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, one of the floodlight towers suddenly went dark, forcing the match to pause for nearly 10 minutes. The issue resurfaced later in the game, resulting in another 20-minute delay.

As darkness engulfed the stadium, restless spectators attempted to brighten the ground by switching on their mobile phone flashlights, creating an unusual scene. 

The incident sparked discussions on social media, with many cricket enthusiasts pointing out the irony of Indian media’s harsh criticism of Gaddafi Stadium’s lights while their stadium faced similar issues.

The back-to-back floodlight failures in Lahore and Cuttack have once again raised questions about the quality of infrastructure at major international venues, emphasizing the need for proper maintenance to ensure smooth gameplay.