Cricket World Cup: Sri Lanka And Bangladesh Clash In A Smog-Shrouded Delhi

 

The match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh began Monday afternoon, with Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan winning the toss and opting to field.

Bangladesh, ranked ninth, is fighting for pride, while Sri Lanka, ranked seventh, will want to maintain their position in order to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Both teams had previously canceled one practice session in preparation for Monday’s group-stage encounter due to poor air quality in smog-shrouded Delhi.

The local Air Quality Index (AQI) was an alarming 460 on a scale of 500 on Sunday, making it the main talking point before the game in New Delhi.

An AQI of 0–50 is considered good, whereas anything between 400 and 500 affects healthy people and poses a risk to those who already have health problems.

Sri Lanka cricketers arrived for training for the game against Bangladesh on Sunday wearing face masks, while asthmatic players from either squad stayed indoors.

Both the Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi sides have dealt with air pollution before, with the former wearing masks during a Test series in 2017 and the latter doing so during a T20 in 2019.

Hundreds of Sri Lankan footballers were affected by respiratory problems at the time, and the hazardous conditions caused several to vomit in the locker room.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has stated that a decision on whether or not to play Monday’s match would be taken on game day after officials examine the air quality.