The infamous air pollution in the nation’s capital has cast doubt on the World Cup match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and it is unclear whether the players’ health will come first on Monday. The national capital is once again covered in a thick layer of toxic haze, which has forced the two teams to postpone their training at least once while the Air Quality Index (AQI) is still classified as bad. Scroll down to read Air Pollution To Jeopardize Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Match.
Air Pollution To Jeopardize Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Match
While Bangladesh risked dangerous circumstances to exercise last evening at the Feroz Shah Kotla while donning masks, Sri Lanka chose to stay indoors on Saturday. The ‘Tigers’ had canceled their first practice on Friday because of the low air quality.
As to the Air Quality Early Warning System, the AQI has remained above 400 on a scale of 500 since Thursday and is expected to stay severe till Tuesday.
Sunday morning, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that the Air Quality Index (AQI) was 457.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made it clear that a decision regarding the contest’s continuation would only be decided on game day, Monday, when match officials evaluate the quality of the air.
Article 2.8 of the ICC’s playing conditions states: “If at any time the umpires together agree that the conditions of ground, weather or light, or any other circumstances are dangerous or unreasonable, they shall immediately suspend play, or not allow play to start or to recommence.” “The decision as to whether conditions are so bad as to warrant such action is one for the umpires alone to make, following consultation with the ICC Match Referee.”
Such a scenario is nothing new for either team; in a Test series in 2017, Bangladeshi cricketers resorted to masks, while Sri Lankan players did the same in a T20 in 2019.
Back then, several Sri Lankan athletes had experienced respiratory problems; some even puked in the locker room as a result of the dangerous circumstances.
While Sri Lanka’s chances of making it to the semifinals are little to none and rely more on chance and math than skill, Bangladesh are already eliminated.
Bangladesh, ranked ninth out of ten countries, is playing for pride, while Sri Lanka, a little better off at seventh, will want to hang on to the position to earn a trip to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Although Sri Lanka has a commanding 42-9 record against Bangladesh in 53 One-Day Internationals, the Tigers will draw motivation from their victory against the Islanders in the World Cup warm-up match.
Kusal Mendis and his team will need to bounce back fast against the equally injured Tigers. Sri Lanka enters the game having suffered a nightmare at the hands of Indian pacers, who swept them out for 55 in a 302-run hammering.
Although injuries have been a problem, Sri Lankan players have also performed poorly against elite opponents, thus, Bangladesh will need to put on a fantastic show to take advantage of this vulnerability.
The star of the tournament has been Sadeera Samarawickrama for the Lankans, who have struggled with consistency in their batting but have occasionally been well-served by Pathum Nissanka and captain Kusal Mendis.
The dearth of reliable spinners has harmed the team, while Lankan pacers have also shown their mettle in the bowling department.
Bangladesh has only secured one victory versus Afghanistan during the tournament, making it a memorable experience for them.
They are now the first team eliminated from the World Cup after losing to Pakistan in their final match due to a disorganized build-up and poor play from their players. This is their sixth consecutive loss.
Even skipper Shakib Al Hasan has run out of options because their bowlers have failed to stop the run flow or take wickets, and their batters have been unable to form partnerships.
