Play was halted briefly at the Sydney Cricket Ground when the pitch was invaded by two protesters.

In a security breach, the protesters made their way into the field of play during the first ODI between India and Australia before being escorted out on Friday.

One of the invaders, carrying a placard denouncing India's Adani Group's coal project in Australia, reached close to the pitch just before pacer Navdeep Saini was getting ready to bowl the sixth over of the home team's innings.

The two were escorted out by the security after their brief invasion.

Earlier on Friday the Stop Adani group had issued a press release, urging the State Bank of India not to approve a loan of $1 billion Australian dollars to Adani. The signs read 'State Bank of India - No $1 Billion Adani Loan'.