New Delhi: Imagine a batter ready to face and the floodlights going off in a day-night match, with the bowler about to deliver!
That’s precisely what happened during the third ODI between New Zealand and Pakistan at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
Pakistan’s Tayyab Tahir was on strike in the 39th over with Pakistan on 218/8, chasing 265 for victory. New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy steamed in and was about to release the ball, when the Bay Oval was plunged into darkness.
Duffy couldn’t check himself and did go through with his delivery, which was a menacing bouncer. Luckily, the batter managed to avoid getting hit by the ball.
Watch the video of the bizarre incident as caught during live coverage of the ODI and shared by several users on X:
Stadium light goes off during #NZvPAK match at Bay Oval. Freakish black out!#PAKvNZ #PAKvsNZpic.twitter.com/lIKTJXu5l7
— CricChat (@CrickettChat) April 5, 2025
The floodlights were back in operation within minutes, and play resumed after a short delay. But the power failure at the most inopportune moment, from the batter’s perspective, seemed to have affected Tahir’s concentration. He was dismissed off the very next delivery for 33.
New Zealand went on to win by 43 runs, thereby completing a 3-0 series sweep.
