- India-South Africa T20 in Lucknow was cancelled due to dense fog and low visibility
- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor suggested BCCI schedule winter matches in pollution-free Kerala
- Tharoor highlighted higher AQI in north India compared to Kerala's low pollution levels
A day after an India-South Africa T20 match in Lucknow had to be cancelled due to dense fog, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has said the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) should organise cricket matches during the winter in Kerala to avoid disruptions due to fog.
The fourth T20 match in the five-match series between India and South Africa was scheduled in Lucknow's Ekana cricket stadium last evening. Low visibility due to fog played spoilsport, and the match was called off at 9.30 pm. This upset fans, who shared their frustration in interactions with the media.
Tharoor, a four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, posted on X that the AQI in north Indian cities has crossed 411, and matches should be scheduled in the Kerala capital, where the AQI is 68.
Outside the Parliament this morning, NDTV spoke to Tharoor about the cancelled match. "How will they play if they cannot see the ball? That's why I am saying, this pollution problem is not there in South India. The ball can then be seen, we can play well and cricket fans won't be heartbroken," he said.
Asked about party colleague and BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla's remark that the fog situation has affected the whole of north India, Tharoor replied, "So why schedule matches in north India at this time? Schedule them in south India. I will tell Rajeev ji," he said.
At this point, Rajeev Shukla approached Tharoor. The Thiruvananthapuram MP repeated his advice. "Instead of scheduling matches in north India in January, come to Kerala." The cricket administrator replied that matches are allotted to states, including Kerala, as per a rotation policy, but added that they will take a relook.
The cricket match cancellation has, meanwhile, taken a political turn. Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has said Delhi's air pollution has now reached Lucknow. "The international cricket match in Lucknow could not be played. The reason behind this is not fog, but smog. We had built a park in Lucknow to reduce air pollution, but the BJP is bent on destroying it by organising events. The BJP cares neither about people nor the environment," he said in a post on X.
Yadav also used a wordplay on the popular expression, 'Muskuraiyye aap Lucknow mein hain', and said, 'Muh dhak lijiye, aap Lucknow mein hain', meaning 'cover your face, you are in Lucknow'.
