Bangladesh cancel training because of air pollution in Delhi
Written by I Dig SportsThe Bangladesh team had arrived in Delhi on Wednesday for their World Cup match against Sri Lanka on November 6. They had initially scheduled three training sessions at Arun Jaitley Stadium, with the first of those between 6pm and 9pm on Friday.
However, an air emergency was declared in Delhi on Thursday, as the air quality index (AQI) rose above 400 in several places in the city, forcing the government to close schools for two days and impose restrictions on construction and vehicle traffic. ESPNcricinfo has learned that at present there has been no conversation between the ICC and BCCI about moving the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka fixture on Monday.
"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."
Bangladesh's training session on Saturday is also in the evening, while on Sunday they are scheduled to train from 2pm.
Sri Lanka are also keeping a close eye on the AQI and may choose to cancel their training session on Saturday if pollution levels remain high. A team source said an AQI of 400 had been talked about as a cut-off mark, though they may take caution even if that number is lower.