Scenes of Sri Lankan cricketers wearing face masks have reignited the debate about hosting sports in heavily polluted New Delhi during winter season.
The third and last test match of ongoing series between India and Sri Lanka at Feroz Shah Kotla will be most remembered for interruptions, players vomiting and wearing protective masks all caused due to the poor quality of air in Delhi.
Scenes of Sri Lankan cricketers wearing face masks and fast bowlers vomiting have reignited the debate about hosting major sports in heavily polluted New Delhi.
Medical professional in Delhi have been vocal about the health risks posed by smog in recent times and now they have urged cricket's governing body ICC to revise its rulebook.
The play had been disrupted three times on Sunday as Sri Lankan players complained of illness, but umpires ruled the match would proceed. The Indian Medical Association condemned the decision, warning that playing in such conditions put athletes' health at serious risk.
"This match should not have taken place in the first place. It is time the ICC (International Cricket Council) comes up with a policy on pollution," said IMA president K. K Aggarwal to news agency AFP.
"You have fast bowlers, batsmen and fielders out there exposed to these very harmful pollutants over five days at a stretch. It takes a serious toll on your health in the long run." The sport's governing body declined to comment.
India's cricket board BCCI accused Sri Lanka of making a "big fuss", pointing to Indian skipper Virat Kohli who hit a record sixth Test double century despite the smog.
But the US embassy website on Monday urged Delhi residents to "avoid all outdoor exertion" as concentrations of the smallest and most harmful airborne pollutants known as PM2.5 soared to hazardous levels.
These tiny particles -- a fraction the size of human hair -- lodge deep in the lungs and are linked to higher rates of chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart disease.
The concentration of such particles Monday hit 448 -- compared to a maximum level of 25 considered safe by the World Health Organization over a 24-hour period.
Even limited exposure can cause shortness of breath and make the eyes weep and throat burn.Pollution levels generally rise during the winter in Delhi and across northern India and neighbouring Pakistan, fuelled by crop burning in the region and the fact that cooler air traps particulates close to the ground.
The smog has become especially alarming in the past two years, casting doubt on the future of sports events in the sports-mad swathe of South Asia.
"This should be a wake-up call for Pak. Our children are at a huge risk because of dangerous pollution levels," tweeted former Pakistani cricketer and political opposition leader Imran Khan on the India-Sri Lanka Test.
Doctors and public health campaigners have escalated their fight against sports events in Delhi in recent years.
Last month more than 30,000 runners competed in the Delhi half-marathon -- just days after smog shut schools amid a public health emergency in the capital.
Doctors warned of dire health consequences and challenged the race in court but it went ahead, with runners complaining of burning eyes and sore throats.
Greenpeace lobbied in October against India hosting the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, warning it poses unacceptable risks to the world's youngest soccer stars.
It also proceeded but the schedule was adjusted to avoid Delhi at its worst.
"Others should also think about athletes health first," tweeted tournament director Javier Ceppi after images of Sri Lankan cricketers wearing face masks went around the globe.
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