Share

Car invasion halts Indian game

New Delhi - A man drove his car onto the pitch during an Indian championship cricket game on Friday, forcing the interruption of the match after claiming he had lost his way.

Indian stars including Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma had to return to the pavilion after the car parked near the bowling strip during the game between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

The driver said he got lost and strayed into the Air Force ground in New Delhi.

But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it would investigate what it considers a major threat to player safety.

"This is a breach of security measures," BCCI president CK Khanna was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency.

"Imagine if the man had any sinister motive, then lives of international cricketers could have been in danger."

Indian media identified the driver as Girish Sharma, who claimed to have entered an open gate at the ground.

The driver, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, was reportedly first detained by the Air Force police and later handed over to Delhi officers for interrogation.

The match referee deemed the pitch "playable" after an examination and the four-day match will resume as scheduled on Saturday morning.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
Mamelodi Sundowns 0
Sekhukhune United FC 0
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
32% - 1843 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1810 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1100 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 470 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 193 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 261 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE