India vs England: Rohit Sharma scripts history with century; lights up Cuttack amid floodlight failure

With floodlight failure occurring at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday during the second ODI between India and England, the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has been slapped with a show-cause notice. The Director of Sports from the state government has sought a response from the association within ten days.

India vs England :Rohit Sharma scripts history with century; lights up Cuttack as Floodlight failure halts playInstagram

Rohit Sharma's fans are on cloud nine, celebrating his incredible performance after a rough patch in previous matches. The Indian skipper brought immense joy to Team India and its supporters with a stellar knock on Sunday night.

The second ODI between India and England took place on February 9, 2025, at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. Chasing a target of 305, India got off to a fiery start as openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill added 48 runs for the first wicket off 37 balls.

However, the match was abruptly halted in the second innings due to a floodlight failure at the stadium. The blackout occurred in the seventh over when India was cruising at 48/0, forcing players off the field.

Floodlight failure irks fans; meme fest on social media

Rohit Sharma was in his best form; he was seen smashing one four and three sixes, electrifying the packed crowd. However, the sudden interruption due to the floodlight failure left players and fans frustrated. One of the light towers went off in the seventh over, bringing play to an unexpected standstill.

Both teams left the field until the issue was resolved.

What did the officials say?

An official explained the situation, saying:

"The generator attached to the floodlight malfunctioned, causing the lights to go off on the stand behind the clock tower. We switched to the backup generator, but it took time to change the connection, leading to the delay."

Floodlight troubles stops play at Cuttack??#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/xlQh1PInzm
— CricketCPS (@CricketCPS) February 9, 2025

Meanwhile, Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, the acting president of the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA), addressed the need for stadium renovations and ongoing discussions with the government.

Hey @BCCI the so-called richest cricket body can you stop giving big ticket matches to smaller cities and stadiums to avoid such embarrassment. @ICC @ECB_cricket #INDvsENG #BarabatiStadium #Cuttack #Floodlight pic.twitter.com/EOA4ajTOK2
— Mander Mukherjee (@ManderMukherjee) February 9, 2025

"This is a very old stadium, and renovations have been planned for some time. While partial improvements have been made, a complete overhaul requires further support," Mohanty told The Indian Express.

The incident was disappointing for the 45,000-strong crowd, many of whom struggled to secure tickets priced between ₹700 and ₹20,000.

Muted celebrations from Rohit, had this been Kohli he would have climbed up a tower and chewed the floodlight.
— Gabbar (@GabbbarSingh) February 9, 2025

Rohit Sharma scripts history

Despite the delay, Indian captain Rohit Sharma made history by scoring a century against England. His brilliant knock of 119 runs off 90 balls, at a strike rate of 132.22, included 12 boundaries and seven sixes. With this century, Rohit Sharma surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most international centuries by an Indian after turning 30. His 36th century in international cricket post-30 now surpasses Tendulkar's record of 35.