Unusual swarm of ants halts South Africa, India T20I match in Pretoria

The match had to be halted just one over into South Africa’s innings

PHOTO: AFP

n unusual swarm of flying ants forced a brief pause in the third T20 International between South Africa and India on Wednesday. The insects interrupted South Africa’s chase at Centurion Park in Pretoria, with players temporarily leaving the field.

The match had to be halted just one over into South Africa’s innings, with the score at 7 without loss. The umpires decided the number of flying ants on the field was too distracting for the game to continue, leading to nearly 30 minutes of delay as players waited for the swarm to clear.

Earlier, India set a formidable target of 219, led by Tilak Varma’s explosive 107 not out off just 56 balls. Once play resumed, India’s bowlers managed to limit South Africa to 208 runs, securing a close 11-run victory.

This isn’t the first time insects have caused issues on the field in South Africa; in 2017, a match against Sri Lanka was delayed by a swarm of bees, holding up play for over an hour.