Moth ado about nothing: AFG vs WI sees pitch invaders of a different kind

Huge swarms of moths were spotted in Lucknow during the second ODI between Afghanistan and West Indies.

West Indian players struggled through the second ODI against Afghanistan thanks to the pollution in Lucknow and some uninvited guests on the pitch.

Chasing West Indies' 248, Afghanistan had more to worry about than just Sheldon Cottrell's pace and Roston Chase's spin.

As the floodlights came on, huge black moths seemed to have made themselves comfortable on the pitch, forcing the players, especially the West Indies on the outfield, to don masks. A thin veil of smog also covered the pitch, hampering visibility in the process.

Remember, Lucknow is one of the most polluted cities in the world with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 334, which is classified as 'hazardous'.

Swarms of moths were spotted around the crease and along the boundary line, making things difficult for the Windies. Skipper Kieron Pollard and Jason Holder were seen having a chat with the on-field umpires but play was not halted.

Earlier in the day, Nicholas Pooran and Evin Lewis powered West Indies to 247 for the loss of nine wickets after being put in to bat by Afghanistan. The Afghan chase started shakily losing early wickets ultimately losing the second of three ODIs by 47 runs. West Indies leads the three-match series 2-0.

While Afghanistan walks back to the drawing board with much to do, hopefully no moths were harmed during West Indies' series rout.