The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has moved the second Test against Sri Lanka out of Lahore and into Rawalpindi because of severe air pollution. The match had been set to take place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from November 17 to 21.
According to the board, the dates will not change. The Test will now be staged at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium over the same schedule, citing deteriorating weather and air quality in Lahore.
Air quality concerns in Lahore and New Delhi
In a press release, the PCB said the fixture had been shifted due to unfavourable weather conditions. Separately, the global air quality platform IQAir ranked Lahore first on its list of the world’s most polluted cities, with New Delhi in second place.
Also read: Lahore tops world pollution list as Punjab smog worsens
Lahore’s Air Quality Index has risen above 301, a level that falls in the hazardous category.
India moves Sri Lanka ODI to Visakhapatnam
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also relocated the India-Sri Lanka one-day international, scheduled for December 13, from New Delhi to the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The decision followed a request from the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), citing smog and severe pollution.
Pollution levels in New Delhi have reached alarming readings ahead of winter, with toxic pollution recorded at 25 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
