MUMBAI: In recent years, the Mumbai Cricket Association Ground at the Bandra-Kurla Complex has been the preferred venue for home Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy matches. However, on Thursday, pollution and dust from a construction site near the ground disrupted play and raised concerns among players.During the latter part of the first day’s play, Mumbai players Sarfaraz Khan, his younger brother Musheer Khan and all-rounder Himanshu Singh were forced to wear masks for about 30 minutes while playing in the field due to dust and pollution from nearby construction activity. Support staff members sitting outside the dressing room were also seen wearing masks.
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“The Mumbai team management has written to the Mumbai Cricket Association about the pollution issue due to the under-construction building here, which has resulted in a lot of dust and pollution on the ground. We have asked the MCA to take it up with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). Players and support staff members who were sitting just outside the dressing room. Several Delhi players have also actually asked us to wear masks. Masks may be difficult for them in such conditions,” he told TOI source from mumbai team.The air quality index in BKC was 156 on Thursday night, which was listed as “unhealthy”.“There was construction work going on nearby due to which people were feeling the pollution. That’s why we had masks,” Mohit Avasthi, a sailor from Mumbai, told reporters later. Avasthi finished the day with figures of five for 62 in 16.4 overs.In smog-affected conditions, Delhi were bowled out for 221, with opener Sanat Sangwan scoring his third century of the season. Sangwan made 118 off 218 balls, hitting 11 fours and two sixes. Mumbai were 13 to one at stumps, with the game ending five to seven minutes before the scheduled end due to poor lighting.
