ODI World Cup 2023: Bangladesh cancel training session due to air pollution in Delhi

In a recent development, Bangladesh's cricket team made a difficult decision on Friday to protect their players from the severe air pollution in Delhi. The team had arrived in the Indian capital earlier in the week for their World Cup match against Sri Lanka on November 6.

Originally, the team had planned three training sessions at Arun Jaitley Stadium, with the first one scheduled for Friday evening. However, due to the worsening air quality, they had to change their plans.

The air quality index in various parts of the city exceeded 400, leading the government to declare an air emergency. As a result, schools were closed for two days, and restrictions were imposed on construction and vehicle traffic.

Khaled Mahmud, the team director, said, "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," as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

The concerns raised by Bangladesh are valid, considering the adverse health effects of prolonged exposure to such polluted air. The team's Saturday training is also scheduled in the evening, and on Sunday, they will train at 2 p.m.

It is important to note that there have been no discussions between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding relocating the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka fixture.

This incident follows Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma's concerns about deteriorating air quality in Mumbai. He emphasised the need for a cleaner environment for future generations. In response, the BCCI decided to eliminate fireworks displays during the remaining games in Mumbai and Delhi to address the air quality issue.