Due to the increasing air pollution in Delhi, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to move the knockout stages of the men’s Under-23 ODI tournament from Delhi to Mumbai. As per The Indian Express, the BCCI has informally requested the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to be ready to host the matches scheduled from November 25 to December 1.

Air quality in Delhi continues to worsen, with Thursday’s readings indicating a “severe” level of pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 400, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

According to the Air Quality Early Warning System from the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the air quality in Delhi is expected to deteriorate further in the coming days, remaining in the “very poor” to “severe” category.

“We received a call from the BCCI today, informing us that the MCA has been assigned the under-23 one-day knockouts due to the severe air pollution in the capital. Cricket cannot be played under such conditions,” an MCA source told The Indian Express.

The final match of the league stage in the tournament is set to take place in Vadodara on Friday, November 21. Eight teams will advance to the knockout stage, and the schedule for the upcoming matches will be revealed soon.

The BCCI had previously moved the first Test against South Africa from Delhi to Kolkata following criticism for hosting a match in the capital during the high pollution period. As part of the changes, the second Test between India and the West Indies was played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi in October.

During a 2017 Test between India and Sri Lanka, the AQI surged from 316 to 390, causing some Sri Lankan players to wear masks. On Day 2, pacer Lahiru Gamage faced breathing problems, resulting in a 17-minute delay. Suranga Lakmal also became ill and had to leave the field. At one point, Sri Lanka had only 10 fit players, with oxygen cylinders brought to their dressing room.