IND vs AUS, 1st ODI: Security At SCG Comes Under Fire As Spectators Interrupt Play With ‘Stop Adani’ Protest

While there was plenty of cheer from supporters of both the 'Aussies' and 'Men in Blue' from the SCG stands, the game was interrupted briefly when one of the spectators in the early stages of the game as he run onto the ground with a placard which read ‘No $ 1 Bn Adani Loan.’

Spectators comes out on the SCG to protest against Adani Group (Image: Getty)

The first One Day International of the 3-match ODI series between India and Australia which is currently being played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) witnessed spectators returning to watch an ODI game in the 'Island Nation' for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. While there was plenty of cheer coming from supporters of both the 'Aussies' and 'Men in Blue' from the SCG stands, the game was interrupted briefly in the 6th over of the Australian innings when one of the spectators ran onto the ground with a placard which read ‘No $ 1 Bn Adani Loan.’ The security officials had to get hold of the spectator and get him off the green turf so as to get the play resumed. The pictures of the same went viral on social media soon after the incident. Commentators Make A Note Of Security Lapse At SCG During 1st Ind vs Aus ODI  Australian opener David Warner looked flustered and quizzed an umpire over the delay, while Australian cricket greats who were part of the Fox Sports Commentary panel said officials would need to review their protocols. “We’ve got a couple of pitch invaders protesting about something,” Adam Gilchrist said on Fox Sports. “We’ll wait for security to come and get them and remove them. “We don’t see any urgency from security at the moment.” As the protestors reached the pitch, Australian spin great Shane Warne made a note of the lapses in security at the SSG stating -  “there’s not one security guard on the ground”. “There’ll be a bit more said about that,” he said. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 27: A protester walks onto the pitch during play during game one of the One Day International series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground on November 27, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)A larger group of Stop Adani protesters had gathered outside the SCG before the match began. “Millions of Indian taxpayers who are watching the first game of the Indian cricket tour have a right to know that the State Bank of India is considering handing their taxes to a billionaire’s climate-wrecking coal mine,” said Ben Burdett, one of the SCG protesters, said in a statement issued by Stop Adani. Social media was viral with videos and post put out by protestors who held protests outside the SCG over the USD 1 Billion dollar loan offered by SBI to Adani Group in connection with the Carmichael coal mine

Let’s go India! Let’s cut off Adani! Lots of support for our protest against the @TheOfficialSBI $1bn loan to Adani down at the SCG today #AUSvIND #StopAdani pic.twitter.com/Y7Pj49atkq

— Stop Adani (@stopadani) November 27, 2020

Varsha and Manjot kicking things off at the first #AUSvIND game at the SCG! @TheOfficialSBI should not waste Indian taxpayers’ money on a billionaires coal mine! #StopAdani pic.twitter.com/s20LnXP723

— Stop Adani (@stopadani) November 27, 2020

Fellow protester Josh Winestock said: “The State Bank of India must rule out any loan to Adani for their climate wrecking coal mine.”

Well that was possibly the oddest pitch invasion I’ve ever seen. #AUSvIND

— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) November 27, 2020

Two protestors made way onto ground with NO $1B ADANI LOAN signs and in extraordinary scenes were left there without being escorted off for some time. Social distancing security ?#INDvAUS

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) November 27, 2020

The Carmichael coal mine has been proposed by the Adani Group and widespread protests have been rampant around Australia in the last few years.