World Cup 2023: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh cancel training session as Delhi experiences 'severe' air pollution

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cancelled their training sessions on November 4, ahead of their World Cup match in Delhi due to the extreme levels of air pollution in the city. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are set to clash on Monday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, in Delhi.

Delhi's air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 413 on November 4, which is in the 'severe' category. The AQI is a measure of the level of particulate matter in the air, and a higher AQI indicates higher levels of pollution.

Bangladesh postponed their training session on Friday after consulting with the team's medical experts, while Sri Lanka followed suit for the same reasons. Bangladesh has already been eliminated from contention for the semifinals, while Sri Lanka's chances remain alive with four points in seven games.

The national capital has been shrouded in heavy fog, resulting in a rapid drop in air quality and visibility. The terrible air quality in Delhi and Mumbai is affecting the ICC World Cup 2023, as Team India captain Rohit Sharma previously stated.

"In an ideal world, you do not want a situation like this but I am pretty sure that the concerned people are taking the necessary steps to avoid this kind of situation. It is not ideal and everyone knows that," Sharma said.

In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a robust decision to prohibit fireworks during the ongoing ICC World Cup matches in Delhi and Mumbai. The announcement comes as an environmental initiative with the aim of mitigating the persisting pollution levels in these metropolitan cities. The move, as stated by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, came after he formally raised the issue with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“BCCI is sensitive to environmental concerns. I took up the matter formally with the ICC and there won’t be any fireworks display in Mumbai, which can add to the pollution level," said BCCI secretary Jay Shah in a statement on Wednesday.

"The BCCI acknowledges the urgent concern surrounding air quality in both Mumbai and New Delhi. While we strive to host the ICC World Cup in a manner befitting the celebration of cricket, we remain steadfast in our commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of all our stakeholders," he concluded.

In an attempt to mitigate the effects of severe air pollution, local government bodies have announced a two-day closure of all primary schools across the city. This emergency action stems directly from the Union Government's early warning system, which forecasts a 'severe' level of air pollution persisting until Monday. In addition to the suspension of academics, further preventative measures have been taken to combat the deteriorating air quality. These measures include the temporary cessation of all construction and developmental activities across the city.

The weather conditions, which have previously wreaked havoc on cricket matches at Feroz Shah Kotla, are back in the spotlight. The national capital's cricket-watching population and the Sri Lankan team are no strangers to these testing conditions. During a Test match between India and Sri Lanka in 2017, the conditions were severe enough to cause two bizarre stoppages.

Several players were declared unfit for play, with some even reported vomiting in the dressing room. This was a result of poor air quality exacerbated by various external factors. Bangladesh Team Director, Khaled Mahmud, cited these past incidents as a reason for erring on the side of caution and subsequently abandoning Friday's cricket session.

“We actually had a training session today, but due to worsening conditions, we didn’t take the chance,” Mahmud was quoted as saying by espncricinfo.com. “We have two more training days. Some of us developed coughing, so there’s a risk factor. We don’t want to get sick. We don’t know if things will improve, but we have training tomorrow. We want all the players to be fit for the important game coming up on November 6.”

Also Read: Mumbai Police arrest 19-year-old man from Telangana over death threats to Mukesh Ambani