Half of the 2023 Cricket World Cup matches played in ‘unhealthy’ air

By Vijdan Mohammad Kawoosa, Nov 22: When the Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan cricket teams, and thousands of spectators, gathered in the Indian capital New Delhi on Nov. 6 for an eight-hour-long World Cup match, they faced a common opponent – dangerously harmful air-filled with high levels of fine matter that not only covered the city in a blanket of haze but can infiltrate deep into human lungs and even penetrate into the bloodstream.

Filled with thick smog, Delhi was the second most polluted city in the world on that day, behind Lahore in Pakistan, according to air quality monitoring group IQAir. It was the most polluted of the five days Delhi hosted World Cup matches this season.

Air in northern India is highly polluted every year ahead of winter when calm winds and low temperatures trap pollutants from vehicles, industries, construction dust and burning of crop residue in neighbouring fields. Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), tiny particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres, is the most significant pollutant in Delhi.

On Nov. 6, the concentration of PM 2.5 in Delhi’s air was on average 261 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m³). This ‘very unhealthy’ air was seven times higher than what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers good or moderate, and more than four times higher than Indian standards. Based on the EPA’s 24-hour standards, an average concentration of PM 2.5 of more than 35.4 μg/m³ is considered ‘unhealthy’.

The air was filled with other pollutants as well – including Nitrogen Dioxide, primarily emitted from vehicles. The World Health Organization recommends a 24-hour average of less than 25 μg/m³ of Nitrogen Dioxide. Readings shot up to as high as 258 μg/m³ on Nov. 6 at the monitoring station closest to the stadium, which is adjacent to a busy traffic junction.

Poor air quality in early November forced both teams to cancel some training sessions and conduct some others with face masks on. Sri Lanka coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said some players did not turn up for practice as they were asthmatic.

In an effort to reduce pollutants, the Indian cricket board banned fireworks in post-match celebrations, while the local government took measures including banning some diesel vehicles and construction and using water sprinklers.

Still, several school-level sporting events in Delhi were cancelled due to the high pollution levels.

For the Nov. 6 match, air pollution levels were at their lowest ahead of the match, increasing steadily over the day – from 114 μg/m³ at 2 pm to more than 200 μg/m³ by the end of the match.

No respite at other venues

Other venues across eastern, southern and western India that hosted the World Cup matches this season did not greet the players with clean air either.

At least 20 of the 47 matches were played in ‘unhealthy’ air. Another 11 matches were played in the air considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’.

England player Joe Root said it felt like they were “eating the air” in the western Indian city of Mumbai while test captain Ben Stokes was seen using an inhaler during training ahead of a game in Bengaluru in southern India.

Matches played ahead of and on the Diwali festival on Nov. 12, when people celebrate with firecrackers, saw very high levels of night-time pollution.

Not unprecedented

The Indian subcontinent has long grappled with seasonal air pollution and sporting events have been affected in the past.

In the most infamous incident, Sri Lankan player Suranga Lakmal and Indian player Mohammad Shami vomited on the field as smog covered Delhi during a cricket match in Dec. 2017.

Sri Lanka players wear face masks on the field during the India vs Sri Lanka test cricket match in Delhi, December 5, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer

Other years have seen cricket matches and other events delayed or cancelled, players complaining of sore throats and itchy eyes, and athletes running with masks on.

There have been a few instances of sporting events being affected by bad air quality in other parts of the world as well.

Air pollution from bushfires in Australia led to a cricket match in the capital Canberra being abandoned and a tennis player was forced to quit a match after collapsing with a coughing fit. Smoke from bushfires has also affected events in the United States.

The International Cricket Council, the global governing body of cricket, does not have specific guidelines to deal with air pollution. It treats pollution similar to other weather events, allowing umpires to call a game off if they agree the conditions are not conducive.

Historical perspective

While Delhi is among the worst affected cities, much of the Indian subcontinent suffers from poor air quality, which has affected previous cricket World Cup matches held there. According to a Reuters analysis of satellite-based atmospheric data, air quality during cricket World Cup matches held in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have been worse compared to other venues in previous tournaments.

Satellite-based estimates illustrate pollution levels across expansive land areas, sufficient to encompass a large city, but may not precisely reflect pollution levels at or near the stadiums. Consequently, pollution levels at the stadiums could be either over- or under-represented, despite the overall trend serving as a reliable indicator of historical perspectives.

Of all the regions that have ever hosted a cricket World Cup match, the Indian subcontinent has seen the most polluted air.

Air pollution has long been linked to short- and long-term health impacts. Polluted air can also lead to decreased performance, according to a study on soccer players published in the Environment International journal.

“Endurance athletes are a particularly susceptible subgroup due to their high ventilation rates sustained over prolonged periods of time coupled with high training loads that often occur outdoors,” the study stated.

Some formats of cricket have among the longest playing times in sports, with one-day matches running as long as eight to nine hours while test matches can take up to five consecutive days, exposing players to polluted air for prolonged periods.