A kite landed on the pitch just as Ben Stokes was about to bowl in the crucial final over of England’s World Twenty20 match against Afghanistan.

Here, we look at a few other incidents when sporting events have been interrupted in bizarre circumstances.

Fan man

A powered paraglider stole the show at the world heavyweight title rematch between Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield at Caesars Palace in November 1993. James Miller gatecrashed the open-air contest in round seven, careering into the ropes at the side of the ring with his battery-operated propeller. He would later replicate the stunt by flying into a Los Angeles Raiders v Denver Broncos NFL game, as well as an FA Cup tie between Bolton and Arsenal at Burnden Park.

Stop bugging me

The New York Yankees were leading the Cleveland Indians 1-0 in game two of the 2007 American League Division Series. In the eighth inning, a swarm of tiny insects surrounded Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain, distracting him enough to give up a run. The players tried to brush the bugs away and used sprays to repel them. It worked out better for the Indians, who went on to win the game 2-1.

Life’s a beach

In October 2009 the Stadium of Light was the scene of one of the most bizarre Premier League goals ever scored. With just five minutes on the clock, Sunderland striker Darren Bent fired in a shot which struck a red beach ball, leaving Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina helpless as the ball diverted into the back of the net. The ball, branded with a Liverpool crest, had earlier been thrown on to the pitch by a Reds supporter behind that goal. The match finished 1-0.

Moth balls

A moth interrupted the quarter-final match between Mark Selby and Neil Robertson at the UK Snooker Championship in York in December 2012. Robertson was leading 4-1 at the time when the moth caught Selby’s attention. After attempting to swat it away, Selby then failed in a safety shot and potted the white. The moment did allow commentator John Virgo to deliver the following quip, though: “Oh, Steve Davis has opened his wallet.”