Delhi Cricket Association Requests BCCI to Move Opening India-Sri Lanka ODI
The Delhi and District Cricket Association has formally asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India to move the upcoming December 13 opening match of the India-Sri Lanka ODI series out of the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Cricbuzz reported. The association cited severe pollution levels in the capital during winter and ongoing stadium renovation work as the primary reasons for the relocation request.
The fixture is scheduled to be the first of a three-match series, with subsequent games slated for Bengaluru on December 16 and Ahmedabad on December 19. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India must now rejig its schedule, the governing body previously maintained that bilateral match allocations follow a standard policy and dismissed earlier relocation reports.
Air Quality Concerns and Past Incidents
Association officials highlighted the capital’s notoriously high Air Quality Index levels during December, noting that the city recorded an average AQI of 351 last December alongside similar readings on November 2. Organizers want to avoid a repetition of the December 2017 Test match between India and Sri Lanka, where hazardous air quality forced visiting players to vomit on the field. A source familiar with the development told Cricbuzz that air quality outweighs stadium renovation as the driving factor behind the request, prompting officials to seek a replacement fixture for sometime next year.
Breaking 🚨- Reports confirm the first ODI between India 🇮🇳 and Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 (December 13) is set to be shifted from the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The DDCA has requested BCCI to relocate the match, citing high pollution levels typical of Delhi winters along with ongoing…
Board Position and Schedule Revisions
Board secretary Devajit Saikia previously rejected speculation regarding a venue change on October 12, stating that reports suggesting a shift to Ahmedabad were inaccurate and urging media outlets to rely on official communications. However, with the local organizing body officially petitioning for a move due to health and environmental hazards, the board faces mounting pressure to alter the itinerary for the incoming Sri Lankan squad.
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