Sri Lanka, the 1996 champions, had initially scheduled a practice session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium from 2 pm to 5 pm on Saturday to prepare for their Men’s ODI World Cup clash against Bangladesh on Monday. However, due to deteriorating air quality, smoky haze, and an AQI surpassing the 400-mark, they decided to cancel their practice session.

Notably, many Sri Lankan players had previously experienced playing cricket in polluted air during a Test match against India at the same venue in December 2017. During that time, five players had to field with masks, and some even required medical attention for respiratory problems and vomiting in the dressing room.

Bangladesh’s Uncertain Practice Session

Bangladesh also had a practice session scheduled at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday evening from 6 pm to 9 pm, but uncertainty surrounds its occurrence due to the worsening conditions. Khaled Mahmud, the Bangladesh team director, expressed concerns about players developing coughing due to the risk factor associated with the poor air quality. The team wants all its players to remain fit for the important game on November 6.

Air Pollution Concerns During the Men’s ODI World Cup

Air pollution and smog have become significant issues during this week of the Men’s ODI World Cup in New Delhi and Mumbai. The BCCI announced the cancellation of fireworks displays for the remaining matches in Mumbai and Delhi due to air pollution concerns. Indian captain Rohit Sharma also expressed his worries about the situation, emphasizing the importance of addressing these concerns for the sake of future generations.

“In an ideal world, you don’t want a situation like this. But I’m pretty sure the concerned people are taking the necessary steps to avoid these kinds of situations. It’s not ideal, everyone knows that. But, looking at our future generation, your kids, my kids; it’s quite important that they get to live without any fear. So, every time I get to speak outside of cricket, if we are not discussing cricket, I always talk about this, that we have to look after our future generation,” said Rohit.

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