New Delhi: When we think of pitch invaders in cricket, what do we usually think of? A fan – be it a girl or a boy – jumped the fence, rushed across the field, touched the feet of their favorite cricketer, hugged them or attempted a quick selfie before being escorted away by security officials. Correct? But a recent incident saw a completely different kind of pitch invasion – a tractor drove into the stadium and damaged it. Shocking, right? But it did happen.The incident took place on April 12, when the final of the MLA Trophy cricket tournament was being held in Darangon (more than 400 kilometers from Mumbai) when a tractor entered the venue and stirred up the entire stadium.So what causes this confusion?A local politician, upset that he was not invited to the match, drove a tractor onto the pitch and damaged it, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported, citing officials.Officials said the leader, who is the chairman of Darangon Municipal Council, was angry that organizers did not invite him to the event.A video of the incident went viral, showing the man driving a tractor across the playing field, tearing up the ground and rendering the pitch unplayable. As the situation quickly deteriorated, players, organizers and spectators were shocked.“The council president acted in a very angry manner,” an official said Sunday.The match was immediately called off due to unsafe conditions, raising concerns over the safety arrangements for the team in Darangon and nearby villages.The official added that local police rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control.The official said no formal complaint was made as organizers chose not to escalate the matter further.
