Bugs halt play between India and Pakistan in Colombo

The India v Pakistan fixture in Colombo was stopped for 15 minutes while the playing area at Khettarama was fumigated, to clear it of a swarm of insects. Play had been paused once before this, as less intensive insect-clearing methods were tried.

The fumigation appeared to work only briefly. The insects - likely a variety of winged termite attracted to the stadium floodlights - seemed to return less than 10 minutes after play resumed. They continued to cause delays in play. Pakistan offspinner Rameen Shamim appeared to need to have an insect picked out of her eye in the 38th over.

The bugs had begun to appear roughly 20 overs into India's innings, just as the sun was setting. The insects were seen causing problems for the India batters and the Pakistan bowlers, with Nashra Sandhu particularly irked by the swarm. Five balls into the 28th over of the innings, Sandhu and captain Fatima Sana called for what appeared to be bug spray, and they applied it around the bowling crease, and on parts of their clothing.

The drinks break was taken early during that first insect-related stop, but the insects continued to swarm near the centre of the playing area.

After 34 overs, play was stopped, the cricketers left the field, and a man wearing a gas mask entered the playing area with a fumigation machine (fogging machine). Within minutes virtually the entire playing area was covered with anti-insect smoke. Play resumed after the smoke had cleared.

"To be honest, you had to concentrate a lot more," Jemimah Rodrigues said after India scored 247. "Couldn't see much when the bugs were coming through."

Insect-related stoppages are uncommon in Sri Lanka, but are not unknown. Some species of termite swarm after rains, and during the wetter months of the year. This ground had seen rain on Saturday, when the Sri Lanka v Australia fixture had been washed out without a ball being bowled.