Delhi

Sri Lanka men's cricket team cancelled their training session in Delhi on Saturday (Nov 4) ahead of their World Cup match against Bangladesh at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The team followed advice from the doctors who said it was not healthy to practice outdoors due to the severe pollution currently engulfing the national capital, according to an ESPNCricinfo report. 

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The Sri Lankan team is scheduled to square up against subcontinent rivals Bangladesh on Monday (Nov 6) but the pollution in Delhi may prove a major hindrance in the match going ahead. The air quality index (AQI) for the capital has been consistently above 400 for the last few days and is expected to stay that way till Tuesday next week. 

The Sri Lankan team's cancellation of its practice session comes a day after the Bangladesh cricket team also did the same. 

"Due to worsening conditions, we didn't take the chance. We have two more training days. Some of us developed coughing, so there's a risk factor. We don't want to get sick," said Bangladesh team director Khaled Mahmud. 

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Notably, the Bangladesh team has another practice session scheduled at 6 pm on Saturday but given the pollution, it appears highly unlikely that it will go ahead. 

"We don't know if things will improve, but we have training tomorrow. We want all the players to be fit for the important game coming up on November 6," added Mahmud. 

According to reports, come the matchday, the officials will treat air pollution just as they would other weather condition. Meaning, the play could be called off if the conditions are not fit to play and players' health is under jeopardy. 

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Also read | ODI World Cup 2023: Bangladesh cancel training session ahead of Sri Lanka clash due to poor AQI in Delhi

What happens if the match is cancelled?

The Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh is the last match in Delhi in the ODI World Cup before the action shifts to knockouts. While Bangladesh have already been eliminated of the tournament, Sri Lanka remain on the precipice, especially after receiving a thumping by the Indian side earlier this week. 

Sri Lanka were bundled out on a meagre total of 55 whilst chasing a 358-run target. Thus, if the match is cancelled in the extreme case, it won't do a whole lot of damage to either team's chances at the World Cup. However, with a spot in the 2025 Champions Trophy on the line, both teams would hope for the play to go ahead.   

(With inputs from agencies)