NEW DELHI: When we think of strikers on the field during a cricket match, what usually comes to mind? A fan – girl or boy – jumps the fence, sprints across the pitch, touches the feet of their favorite cricketer, hugs them or tries to take a quick selfie before being ushered away by security officials. Right? But a recent incident saw a very different kind of pitch invasion – when a tractor drove into the stadium and vandalized the pitch. Shocking, right? But it actually happened.The incident took place on April 12 during the final of the MLA Trophy cricket tournament in Dharangaon (over 400 km from Mumbai) when a tractor entered the pitch and turned the entire pitch into a mess.So what led to this chaos?According to officials, as quoted by PTI, a local politician allegedly drove a tractor onto the pitch and damaged it after he was upset at not being invited to the tournament.Officials said the leader – who serves as chairman of the Dharangaon Municipal Council – was angry with the organizers for not inviting him to the event.Video of the incident, which has since gone viral, shows a man driving a tractor across the course, tearing up the surface and leaving the course unplayable. Players, organizers and spectators were left stunned at how quickly the situation turned.“The council chairman acted in a fit of rage,” the official said on Sunday.The match was immediately called off due to dangerous playing conditions, raising concerns about security arrangements for teams from Dharangaon and nearby villages.
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The local police reached the spot immediately and brought the situation under control, the official added.No formal complaint was filed as the organizers decided not to escalate the matter further, the official said.
