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BCCI shifts U-23 one-day knockouts from Delhi to Mumbai due to severe air pollution

Rajgeeta Yadav

BCCI shifts Under-23 one-day matches from Delhi to Mumbai [Source: AFP]BCCI shifts Under-23 one-day matches from Delhi to Mumbai [Source: AFP]

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to shift the knockout stage of the men’s Under-23 one-day cricket tournament from Delhi to Mumbai. The reason is the dangerously high air pollution in the national capital. 

The decision was not announced officially, but the BCCI has verbally informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to get ready to host the matches from November 25 to December 1.

Notably, Delhi is going through its usual winter pollution crisis, and the air quality has become extremely harmful. On Friday morning, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed 400, which falls in the “severe” category.

Under-23 one-day matches shifted to Mumbai

According to pollution experts, the situation is expected to become even worse over the next few days. Under such conditions, it becomes unsafe for players to stay outdoors for hours, let alone play a high-intensity cricket match. An MCA official told the Indian Express that BCCI called them and said, 

“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."

Originally, the knockout games were scheduled to take place at the Air Force Complex ground, Palam II, and the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. However, with the pollution predicted to remain in the “very poor” to “severe” range for the next six days, hosting cricket in Delhi was considered too risky for players’ health.

The last group-stage match of the Under-23 tournament is being played in Vadodara. Once that ends, eight teams will compete in the knockout round in Mumbai. The detailed schedule is expected to be released shortly.

It is important to note that this is not the first time poor air quality has forced cricket authorities to reconsider hosting matches in Delhi. The recent India vs South Africa Test was initially planned to take place in Delhi but was moved to Kolkata because pollution levels were too high at the time. 

In 2017, during a Test match between India and Sri Lanka, many Sri Lankan players struggled to breathe and had to wear masks due to Delhi’s pollution. On the third day of that match, pollution levels reached an AQI of 390, almost in the “severe” category.