Angry spectators hurled missiles, mainly water bottles, into the ground after India were skittled out for 92 a... Read More

CUTTACK: Angry spectators hurled missiles, mainly water bottles , into the cricket ground, as South Africa were cruising towards victory against India, which halted the second T20 International at the Barabati Stadium on Monday.

The resumption of the match lasted only two overs before it was halted again with South Africa 70/3 in 13 overs and players went off the field with officials suspending the tie for the time being. South Africa are 15 runs ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis target at the stage.

The visitors were 64 for three in 11 overs, needing 29 runs more to win when the crowd interrupted the proceedings and halted it for 29 minutes.

Put into bat, India were bundled in just 17.2 overs, to record their second-lowest total in T20I. Their lowest was 74 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in February 2008.

As India collapsed, fans vented their fury by throwing water bottles from the two-levels gallery three and four as it continued unabated in the innings break.

Bottles are incidentally banned in most of the venues in India where water is supplied in pouches but an Odisha Cricket Association official said in Barabati Stadium the situation is different.

"We have banned small water bottles and water pouches which can travel more distance than a big size bottle which is not banned here," an OCA official told PTI.

Thankfully the bottles did not invade the playing area and fell on the practice surface outside the fence near the dressing room and the play resumed after the scheduled break with police officials taking control of the situation.

There were also repeated announcements from the OCA to pacify the spectators and the match began without any further interruption.