BCCI officials have stated that the first T20I clash between India and Bangladesh will remain on schedule in Delhi, regardless of the declining air quality after Diwali. The board clarified that the venue was chosen after the Delhi Pollution Control Committee signaled that November 3 should be a clear day. When asked if a worsening environmental situation would force a change, the source maintained that everything is locked in and they don't anticipate any adjustments.
The BCCI sources said that the 1st T20I match among India and Bangladesh will be held as scheduled in Delhi air quality breaking down post-Diwali. BCCI sources said “We had taken permission from Delhi Pollution Control Committee and they gave November 3 as clear day so we decided to fix the Delhi venue after their consultation”. When asked what would happen if the situation worsened the replied, “As of now everything is fixed and I don’t see any change in plan.”
According to SAFAR, Delhi's air quality took a sharp dive into the 'very poor' category the morning after Diwali.
The AQI scale measures air quality as follows: 0-50 is 'good', 51-100 is 'satisfactory', 101-200 is 'moderate', 201-300 is 'poor', 301-400 is 'very poor', and anything from 401 to 500 is deemed 'severe'.
Pollution has been a recurring concern for visiting teams; for instance, back in December 2017, the Sri Lankan squad struggled to breathe and had to utilize face masks while fielding.
Following a player strike last week, the governing body of Bangladesh cricket announced a new deal that nearly doubles the match fees for domestic players. Specifically, those playing in the top tier of the National Cricket League will now earn 60,000 taka for each four-day match.
The agreement, which successfully ended a three-day walkout initiated by the players a week ago, also included increases in various other allowances.