Delhi and Mumbai, two main hosts of World Cup 2023, will not feature any celebratory fireworks during their upcoming fixtures. With one match still to be played in India’s capital and two group-stage games along with a semi-final in Mumbai, here’s why.

On the eve of the India-Sri Lanka clash, BCCI banned customary fireworks at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, along with Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The decision was made in the wake of the deteriorating air quality in the Indian metros.

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah formally addressed ICC regarding the itinerary change: “BCCI is sensitive to environmental concerns. I took up the matter formally with the ICC and there won’t be any fireworks display in Mumbai and Delhi, which can add to the pollution level.”

“The Board is committed to combating environmental issues and will always place the interest of our fans and stakeholders at the forefront,” Shah added.

The statement came after the two megacities have continuously faced severe air pollution in the past few days, posing a health hazard. On November 1, an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 371 at 10 a.m. made Delhi’s air “very poor” for the fifth day in a row, while Mumbai’s air quality was “moderate” with an AQI of 175.

“In an ideal world, you don’t want a situation like this,” said India captain Rohit Sharma, speaking before the Sri Lanka game. “But I’m pretty sure the concerned people are taking the necessary steps to avoid these kind of situation. It’s not ideal, everyone knows that. But obviously, looking at our future generation, your kids, my kids, obviously, it’s quite important that they get to live without any fear. So, yeah, every time I get to speak outside of cricket, if we are not discussing cricket, I always talk about this, that we have to look after our future generation.”

This is not the first time poor air quality in India has influenced a match. During an India-Sri Lanka Test in 2017, smog stopped play in New Delhi, with claims that the tourists were “continuously vomiting” because of the aggravated air pollution in North India during winter. Later, they took the field wearing face masks.

Mumbai will host two more group-stage games on November 2 and 7, in addition to the semi-final on November 15, while Delhi only has one match left on November 6.

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