Severe air pollution in Delhi has forced the BCCI to shift the U-23 one-day knockout matches to Mumbai. (Image Credit: AI)
Severe air pollution in Delhi has once again disrupted India's domestic cricket calendar. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has moved the knockout stage of the men's Under-23 one-day tournament from Delhi to Mumbai following hazardous air quality levels that raise health concerns for players and spectators alike. The Mumbai Cricket Association will now host matches between November 25 and December 1.
This move comes just over a week following the Supreme Court's recommendation to the government to avoid outdoor sporting events in the Delhi-NCR region due to the hazardous level of pollution. Considering the Air Quality Index touching the ‘severe’ zone regularly, little room was left for the BCCI to continue in the capital.
According to The Indian Express, the BCCI informed the MCA verbally about the change. "We got a call from the BCCI today, informing us that the MCA has been allotted the under-23 one-day knockouts due to high air pollution in the capital. Cricket can't be played in those conditions," an official of the MCA said.
Forecasts by the Ministry of Earth Sciences' Air Quality Early Warning System do not predict any immediate relief. Delhi’s air is expected to oscillate between ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ over the next six days. Such conditions are known to trigger breathing difficulties, eye irritation, and long-term respiratory issues unacceptable risks for athletes competing outdoors for extended hours.
The dangerous pollution levels made any staging of high-intensity domestic matches in Delhi impractical, forcing the game's urgent relocation.
This is the second major cricketing event this year to be disrupted by smog. Indeed, the first Test against South Africa, scheduled for November 14 in Delhi, was moved to Kolkata for similar pollution concerns. The Arun Jaitley Stadium was given a Test match against the West Indies on October 10, when conditions were comparatively better, as compensation.
Delhi's pollution woes have traditionally taken a toll on international cricket, too. During a Test match in December 2017, Sri Lankan players famously covered their faces with masks after AQI levels shot up between 316 and 390, and some complained of breathing difficulties on the field.
The latest rescheduling reinforces a growing challenge: environmental hazards increasingly dictating cricket fixtures. With winter pollution only getting worse each year, cricket administrations might have to reconsider their scheduling strategies and venue allocations to safeguard the interests of players and fans alike.
