During the Ranji Trophy clash between Mumbai and Delhi at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) Ground on Thursday, a surprising issue over pollution emerged, as players were spotted wearing masks during the proceedings. Air quality discomfort is usually associated with Delhi, but this time, Mumbai took the spotlight as players reported struggling with breathlessness. On the opening day of the match on January 29, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded around 160, which falls in the ‘unhealthy’ category.

The AQI at the MCG-BKC Ground, however, was worse due to construction work, which significantly impacted the air quality. Even with these tough conditions, the players had no alternative but to keep playing.

Sarfaraz Khan, along with his brother Musheer Khan and other cricketers, were spotted wearing masks.

“Due to the ongoing construction work around, the players were experiencing the effects of pollution and struggling to breathe, which is why they put on the masks,” Mohit Avasthi explained on Day 1.

As per a report in the Times of India, the Mumbai team has officially raised the issue with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), requesting them to escalate the matter of construction dust to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).

“Mumbai’s team management has reached out to the MCA about the pollution caused by the nearby construction, which has resulted in a large amount of dust on the field. Even the players and support staff sitting outside the dressing room had to wear masks. In fact, some players from the Delhi team also asked us for masks. It’s extremely challenging to run on the field under these conditions,” a source said.

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