VISAKHAPATNAM: Cyclone Montha certainly made its severity felt in more ways than one. The severe cyclonic storm not only brought heavy rain and strong winds to Andhra Pradesh but also gave the Women’s Cricket World Cup balloon an unexpected joyride from Visakhapatnam to Malkangiri district in Odisha.
In what could be described as one of the lighter moments amid Cyclone Montha’s fury, an ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 promotional balloon that went missing from Visakhapatnam has turned up over 200 km away in Odisha’s Malkangiri district.
The giant tethered balloon, which was installed near the ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium to mark the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup, was swept away by the gusty winds that lashed the city on Monday night. While authorities were busy restoring power lines, and clearing fallen trees, the balloon quietly took an unexpected flight north.
By Tuesday afternoon, villagers of Neredupalli in Malkangiri district spotted something unusual caught in a tree, a large cricket-themed balloon, complete with the ICC logo and Visakhapatnam printed on it.
“We saw this balloon hanging from a tree, and flying around 12 noon. It surprised us to see something from Vizag land here in our village. We safely brought it down, and kept it aside,” said Mohan Babu, a villager, speaking to TNIE.
The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA), which hosted five Women’s World Cup matches in Visakhapatnam, including two featuring India, had installed the balloon as part of its stadium decorations.
While Montha left behind a trail of destruction across Andhra Pradesh, the flying World Cup balloon has given locals and cricket fans a rare reason to smile.