Indian skipper Rohit Sharma on the eve of the clash against Sri Lanka expressed his concerns regarding the depleting air quality of major Indian cities. Rohit said the current situation is not ideal and it becomes important for the current generations to take steps so that the future generations "live without fear".
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that there will be no display of fireworks at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, and Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi because of the deteriorating air quality ahead of the winter season.
"In an ideal world you do not want a situation like this but I am pretty sure that the concerned people are taking the necessary steps to avoid this kind of situation. It is not ideal and everyone knows that," Rohit said in the pre-match press conference.
Rohit, who is a father of a five-year-old daughter, said that he always tries to highlight these things when he is not talking about cricket.
"Looking at our future generations, your kids, my kid. Obviously it is important that they get to live without any fear. Every time I get to speak outside of cricket, or not discussing cricket I always talk about this. We have to look after our future generations," the captain said.
On October 31, the Bombay High Court expressed concern over the poor air quality index in Mumbai. Reacting to the situation, BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement, "I took up the matter formally with the ICC and there won’t be any fireworks display in Mumbai, which can add to the pollution level."
"The Board is committed to combating environmental issues and will always place the interest of our fans and stakeholders at the forefront. The BCCI acknowledges the urgent concern surrounding air quality in both Mumbai and New Delhi.
"While we strive to host the ICC World Cup in a manner befitting the celebration of cricket, we remain steadfast in our commitment to prioritising the health and safety of all our stakeholders."
India are currently in the second spot on the World Cup 2023 points table. A win against Sri Lanka will help them reclaim the top spot.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
