The BCCI moved the U-23 One-Day tournament knockouts from Delhi due to severe air pollution (AQI > 400). We detail the player health risks and systemic scheduling failure.
BCCI Acknowledges Delhi’s Air Pollution Crisis
In a decisive move underscoring the severe public health crisis engulfing the National Capital Region, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been compelled to relocate the knockout stage of its annual Men’s Under-23 State A One-Day tournament. The crucial youth matches, originally slated for New Delhi, will now be hosted in Mumbai, a necessity driven by the city’s dangerously high Air Quality Index (AQI) levels. This relocation is more than a logistical adjustment; it represents a sobering acknowledgement from India’s top cricketing body that the capital’s toxic air has become an undeniable opponent to organized sport, directly compromising player well-being.
The decision affects the knockout fixtures scheduled to run from November 25 to December 1. A senior Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) source confirmed the verbal directive from the BCCI, bluntly stating the prevailing reality: “Cricket can’t be played in those conditions.” This clear-cut official admission validates the fears of countless citizens and health experts who monitor Delhi’s environmental decline during the crucial transition into winter.
