5 occasions when cricket matches were called off due to violence

#2 Pakistan vs England, Karachi, 1969

The stadium at Karachi is engulfed by the crowd during the Test

Perhaps the greatest impact of a crowd riot on a cricket match came during the 3rd Test of a 3-match series between Pakistan and England at Karachi. The first two Tests of the series had ended in stalemate as the two teams collided in the decider.

Political unrest involving Pakistani students had already hindered the Tests in Lahore and Dhaka to some extent and the atmosphere was not all pleasant in the final Test too. England batted for the first 2 days of the match reaching 412 for 6 by the end of the second day’s play.

Tension was in the air as Day 3 began and the crowd gave in by the time Alan Knott was 4 short of a Test century. A riot broke as the crowd, which included the students, invaded the playing area and destroyed the pitch while also setting fire to the VIP enclosures.

The situation was so combustible that the match had to be abandoned and the English team took a flight back home on the same night.