ICC World Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma expresses concern about playing in Mumbai as air quality deteriorates – Magazine Creations

The Indian team is scheduled to take on Sri Lanka in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 match at the city’s Wankhede Stadium on November 2.

Sharma’s statement, as reported by PTI, comes two days after the player expressed shock at seeing the city’s polluted skyline from the flight that brought the team to Mumbai.

“Mumbai, Yeh kya ho gaya (What happened)?’” Sharma on Instagram, where he shared photos taken from the plane of smog sweeping across the city.

Also Read: Top team scores in World Cup 2023: South Africa, Australia dominate, India not in top 5

Notably, Sharma is a native of Mumbai and has played cricket across the city from an early age. He has represented Mumbai Ranji FC throughout his domestic first-class career, and also captains the Mumbai Indians franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Over the past three weeks, Mumbai’s base index score has ranged from 150 (moderate) to 411 (severe). At 8 pm on November 1, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was measured at 208 (poor) at the Colaba Observatory, according to data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board.

In view of reports of poor air quality in the city, the Bombay High Court initiated a suo motu PIL procedure. The Indian Express reported on October 31 that government agencies have been asked to list their action plan to address the issue.

The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to respond with the steps they have taken, the newspaper reported. He said.

Meanwhile, Sharma is not the first cricketer to express concern about Al Qaeda in Mumbai in India amid the ongoing World Cup. Earlier, England batsman Joe Root said he felt like “eating the air” in the city.

“I’ve never played in anything like this before. Obviously I played in hotter conditions, probably more humid. But it felt like you couldn’t catch your breath. It was like you were eating air,” Root was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times. “It was unique.”

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Updated: 01 November 2023, 09:04 PM IST