Despite the pollution in Delhi, the BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has confirmed that the match between Bangladesh and India will go on as scheduled.
Gambhir and Chhetri raise concerns
The air quality in the capital continues to be a great concern. Bangladesh cricket team will hold their first training session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday according to the DDCA. But earlier former Indian cricketer turned politician Gautam Gambhir said that people of Delhi currently should be more concerned about pollution instead of the upcoming match arrangements. Gambhir said, “It (pollution) is a far serious issue than having a game of cricket or any other sports matches in Delhi. I think people living in Delhi should be more concerned about the pollution levels rather than the cricket match that happens.”
He also added, “I am not really bothered whether the match will happen or not. I hope it happens and it should happen, but again it’s the thing which is throughout the year that Delhi people face. It is far more concerning then match.”
Even the Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri echoed the same concerns a couple of days back. Chhetri said, “We feel irritation in our eyes. I hope it is rectified as soon as possible. I am from Delhi but I rarely come here. I know some of the foreign players do wear masks. It is difficult to keep oneself fit in Delhi because the pollution is more here than in other states. It is not nice.”
Ganguly not changing the schedule
The environmental activists Jyoti Pande and Ravina Raj Kohli wrote an open letter to the BCCI asking to change the venue. “On the 3rd of November India is scheduled to play against Bangladesh in a T20 match at Feroz Shah Kotla at a time when pollution levels are expected to be between severe to hazardous.”
In 2017, due to the pollution and poor air quality players had to wear protective masks during a Test between India and Sri Lanka and Suranga Lakmal even vomited on the field.
So a lot expected that the BCCI would take some action and think of shifting the first T20I against Bangladesh to somewhere else. But when asked by ANI whether the T20I will be played in the national capital, the president, Sourav Ganguly said, “Yes it will.”
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