At least three cricketers were seen wearing masks while fielding during Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy clash against Delhi at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC, which is the preferred venue for Mumbai’s home games in domestic cricket.
On Thursday, pollution and dust from a nearby construction site disrupted play and sparked concern among the players.
During the final session on day one, Mumbai cricketers Sarfaraz Khan, his younger brother Musheer and all-rounder Himanshu Singh were forced to field in masks for about half an hour because of dust and pollution from nearby construction activity.
“Mumbai’s team management has written to the Mumbai Cricket Association about the problem of pollution due to the under-construction building here, which has led
to a lot of dust and pollution on the ground,” a source in the Mumbai team told The Times of India.
“We have requested the MCA to take it up with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. Players and members of support staff sitting just outside the dressing room, too, were forced to wear masks,” the source added.
Meanwhile, Sanat Sangwan scored a fine hundred for Delhi against Mumbai, but the visitors were bowled out for 221 on day one of their Group D Ranji Trophy clash, with Mohit Avasthi returning figures of 5/62.
“The construction work was going on (nearby), because of which people were feeling the pollution. That’s why we were wearing masks,” Avasthi said after the day’s play.
While Sangwan (118) stood tall with a resolute hundred, his third this season, Delhi’s other batters cut a sorry figure.
Mumbai were 13/1 in reply, with Divij Mehra removing Akash Anand (4). The hosts trail by 208 runs in the first innings.
Sangwan blended caution with aggression to counter early seam movement and stern spells from Mumbai’s pacers, crafting a quality century. He scored off 218 balls, striking 11 fours and two sixes.
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