As Delhi suffered its worst air pollution in three years on Sunday and Bangladesh and India played out their first T20I match at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly thanked both the teams for turning up on the field amid health concerns due to the air pollution.
"Thank u to both the teams to play this game @ImRo45 @BCBtigers under tuff conditions... well done Bangladesh," Sourav Ganguly tweeted after Mahmudullah Riyad-led team chalked up their first win against India in a T20I match as a thick grey smog hung over Delhi.
Pollution and health concerns did not deter an estimated 25,000 people from turning up at the stadium to watch the match last night. This is despite repeated advisories from doctors in Delhi to avoid movement outdoor and morning and evening walks and joggings.
Ahead of the game, air pollution in Delhi was the talk of the town as its air quality deteriorated to hazardous levels. The smog improved a little shortly before the start of the match.
On Sunday, the national capital's average AQI stood at 494, the
highest since November 6, 2016 when it was 497.
An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'. Above 500 falls in the 'severe plus' category.
On Sunday, 21 of the 37 air quality monitoring stations recorded AQI between 490 and 500.
The Delhi government had on Friday directed closure of schools until November 5 and banned construction activities after the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority declared a public health emergency as air quality plummeted. Ends