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‘Stop Adani’ protesters invade the pitch at SCG during India-Australia ODI

Two protesters entered the ground holding signs that read ‘No $1B Adani Loan’

india-aus-adani-reuters A protester interrupts the match between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground | Reuters

The first of the three-match One Day International series between India and Australia was without doubt expected to be an entertaining and exciting contest: Aaron Finch and Steve Smith dazzled with their respective tons while David Warner contributed to the mammoth total of 374 with a half-century.

However, there was more drama on the pitch as two protesters invaded the Sydney Cricket Ground, marking their protest against a coal project by the Adani Group.

Holding placards that read ‘No $1B Adani Loan’, two persons ran into the ground and stood in the middle of the pitch for a while before being escorted off by security officials. Outside the stadium, a crowd of around 50 people calling themselves the Stop Adani group had gathered much before the match started to mark their protest.

They were also holding banners and wearing T-shirts that read “#StopAdani” and “Stop Coal. #StopAdani. Take Action.” The group also urged the State Bank of India to not approve a loan of AUD 1 billion to Adani for a controversial coal project in Queensland called the Carmichael coal mine.

The Carmichael Coal mine has been mired in controversy over the years due to the harmful effects of the project on the environment and subsequently the climate crisis.

On another note, the security breach also looks at the seemingly lax arrangements that have been made for India’s tour of Australia. Players and officials are staying as well as training in secure bio-bubbles, and this particular breach could put everyone in the bubble at risk.

Cricket Australia, however, has said that there was no concern for a bio-security breach as none of the players got close enough to the protesters invading the pitch.

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