In a peculiar twist of fate, the last One Day International (ODI) between England and West Indies was postponed—not because of weather or pitch conditions, but due to a humongous traffic jam. The unforeseen circumstance compelled the England team to resort to an innovative means of getting to the stadium on time.
As per reports in the media, some English players such as Jos Buttler, Luke Wood, and Saqib Mahmood were held up in congestion while traveling to The Oval for the last ODI of the series. After they understood that the jam might hold them back from arriving on time for the toss, the players employed a ride-hailing app to hire bicycles and pedaled their way to the stadium.
The team reached about 40 minutes late, a rare phenomenon in the history of global cricket in which cricketers used bicycles to reach a match. Spectators and passersby were shocked to witness professional cricketers cycling down London streets to reach on time.
West Indies Team Also Delayed
Interestingly, even the West Indies team had their delays and did not arrive on schedule. The West Indies team bus arrived 10 minutes after the scheduled toss, causing additional delays to the match start.
The toss was initially set for 12:30 PM (local time), while the match would begin at 1:00 PM. Yet, because both sides reached late, the toss was delayed, representing an unprecedented moment in contemporary global cricket.
Despite the chaotic start, England managed to maintain their focus and came out victorious in the final ODI, sealing the series with a clean sweep over West Indies. The victory highlights England’s strong performance throughout the series, showcasing both resilience and adaptability—even off the field.
