Organizers will encourage players to stay in the dressing rooms, equipped with air purifiers, rather than in the outdoor dugout.
Since the 2017 Delhi Test between Sri Lanka and India, where players experienced vomiting and respiratory problems, the ICC has established guidelines to treat poor air quality in a similar manner as adverse weather conditions that affect play or player safety, such as rain or lightning.
These guidelines involve continuous air quality monitoring by BCCI staff in the stadium, with readings shared with the ICC’s medical team and the medical staff of both the Bangladesh and Sri Lanka teams. Match officials already have criteria for acceptable air quality conditions.
The accepted threshold for safe play, according to ICC guidelines and Sri Lanka medical staff, is an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 200. However, it’s not a strict cutoff, and player feedback will also be considered.
On match day, officials, in consultation with medical staff, will determine whether conditions are suitable for play based on the air quality readings. If deemed suitable, the match will commence at 2 pm, with the toss occurring at 1:30 pm. If conditions are not suitable, the match may be delayed, and if further delay exhausts the extra time allocated to a cricket match, overs may be lost.
In the event of an ODI not being completed (each team needing a minimum of 20 overs to constitute a complete match), both teams will receive one point. Organizers will encourage players to stay in the dressing rooms, equipped with air purifiers, rather than in the outdoor dugout. Sprinklers will be used to reduce pollutants in the immediate playing area. While rain has historically helped reduce pollutants in the air, the effectiveness of sprinklers remains uncertain.
Although there were medical delays during the 2017 Test in Delhi, there have been no limited-overs matches shortened due to pollution. The ICC is consulting a pulmonologist but lacks extensive data on safe air quality conditions for cricket.
Both teams have emphasized rigorous practice ahead of the match, given the importance of Champions Trophy qualification. Bangladesh, in particular, needs the match to secure points.
Sri Lanka’s team manager, Mahinda Halangoda, emphasized that they would follow ICC guidance and consider the Air Quality Index. Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe acknowledged the challenges of air quality but noted that they have no choice but to play in the prevailing conditions.
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