Image Credit- AFP
According to team director Khaled Mahmud, Bangladesh
postponed their training session in Delhi on Friday in order to protect their
players from the city’s air pollution.
The Bangladeshi team landed in Delhi on Wednesday in
preparation for their November 6 World Cup matchup against Sri Lanka. At Arun
Jaitley Stadium, they had originally planned three training sessions, the first
of which was set for Friday from 6 to 9 p.m.
However, the administration was forced to close
schools for two days and put limits on construction and vehicle traffic on
Thursday as the air quality index (AQI) increased above 400 in various
locations of the city, leading to the declaration of an air emergency. As of
for now, the BCCI and ICC have not discussed rescheduling Monday’s Bangladesh
vs. Sri Lanka match.
“We actually had a training session today, but
due to worsening conditions, we didn’t take the chance,” Mahmud said on
Friday. “We have two more training days. Some of us developed coughing, so
there’s a risk factor. We don’t want to get sick. We don’t know if things will
improve, but we have training tomorrow. We want all the players to be fit for
the important game coming up on November 6.”
Delhi’s air quality index was “likely to be in
upper end of severe category” on Friday, according to the Ministry of
Earth Sciences of India’s Air Quality Early Warning System. The air quality
between November 4, 2023, and November 6, 2023, is expected to slightly improve
but stay in the severe category. The ministry sent a bulletin on Friday with
the following six-day forecast: “The air quality is likely to remain in
the severe to very poor category.”
Prior to India’s World Cup match against Sri Lanka on
Wednesday, Rohit Sharma voiced concerns about the country’s declining air
quality, citing the need to guarantee that future generations may live in India
“without any fear.” Due to the air quality problem, the BCCI said
that day that it would not permit any fireworks during the remaining games in
Delhi and Mumbai.