The level of pollution in Delhi is becoming increasingly dangerous.Image Credit source: Vipin Kumar/HT via Getty Images
Air pollution reaching dangerous levels in the country’s capital New Delhi has troubled everyone. Due to this, many schools across Delhi-NCR are now being run from home, while work is being done from home in many offices too. In view of the bad situation, the Delhi government has imposed GRAP-3 restrictions in the capital, but the situation is not improving at present. Now this has also affected cricket because in view of the worsening pollution situation day by day, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has snatched the knockout round matches of the Under-23 ODI tournament from Delhi.
Now matches will be held in Mumbai instead of Delhi
A report in Indian Express states that considering the situation in Delhi, BCCI has decided to change the venue of the knockout round of this tournament starting next week. Till now these matches between 8 teams were to be played in Delhi but now the board has decided to organize it in Mumbai. The report quoted Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) sources as saying that the board has contacted them for this.
For the last several days, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR has been continuously ranging between 350 to 400, which is not good for any kind of open sports activity. Keeping this in view, BCCI has taken this big step. According to the report, Indian Board officials have asked MCA to start preparations for organizing these knockout matches between November 25 and December 1. At present, the schedule of knockout matches has not been released because the last round of group stage matches will be completed on Friday 21st November.
The venue of India-South Africa test had to be changed
This is the second time in the current cricket season, when BCCI has to change its schedule and organize the Delhi match in some other city. Earlier, the board had also changed the venue of the first match of the Test series between India and South Africa. According to the old schedule, this match played from 14th November was to be played at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi but then BCCI had to face a lot of criticism due to this decision because pollution in Delhi reaches dangerous levels in the month of November. Only after this the test was shifted to Kolkata. Instead, the second Test was played between India and West Indies in Delhi from 10 to 14 October.