AUS vs SL: Strong winds in Lucknow blow away hoardings in stadium, spectators rush to safer zones

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between Australia and Sri Lanka took an unexpected turn due to erratic weather conditions on October 16, 2023, at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The strong winds in Lucknow blew away hoardings in the stadium, thus forcing the spectators to rush into safer zones.

Notably, Australia produced a superb fight after a century opening stand to bundle out Sri Lanka for a lowly 209 in Lucknow on Monday, with spinner Adam Zampa taking four wickets. Looking for their first win of the 2023 World Cup, the Australian bowlers produced a superb all-round performance after fifty-plus scores from Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka.

Nissanka (61) and Perera (78) put on 125 runs for the first wicket, but Australia fought back in the middle overs to defeat the Lankans in 43.3 overs at Ekana Stadium. The openers were taken out by skipper Pat Cummins, causing a collapse, and Zampa joined forces to return figures of



4-47.

However, after the innings break, an unexpected challenge emerged in the form of strong winds that forcefully swept across the stadium. This wind was so potent that it uprooted the hoardings, sending them tumbling onto the ground and disrupting the game.

The event prompted a safety announcement on the public address system, advising the spectators in the lower tiers to move to higher seats for their own safety. After a consultation between Australian skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and the on-field umpire, the ground was cleared and the game resumed. Despite the delay, no overs were lost as a result of the disruption.

Sri Lanka commenced the game powerfully with Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera laying down a performance that resulted in a hundred-run partnership. However, Australia managed to bounce back due to disciplined bowling and dedicated out-fielding, thereby limiting Sri Lanka to a total of 209 runs.