We Didn't Request to Move the Game Out of Delhi: Sri Lanka Team Management

The Sri Lankan camp has finally issued a clarification on whether they made the request of moving their their match against Bangladesh out of New Delhi.

A couple of days ago, rumours of moving the game out of the national capital did rounds, citing the hazardous level of pollution in the city – with Lucknow – a venue that has completed hosting its quota of matches in the World Cup 2023 being a potential makeshift venue.

But ahead of the much-talked about game in Delhi, the team management has given a clarification. Replying to a CricketNext query, Sri Lankan team manager Mahinda Halangoda stated that there was no request made by the Sri Lankan camp for a change of venue. [Halangoda answered the question in place of captain Kusal Mendis due to language barrier]

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“We didn’t make a request to move it out from Delhi. We did make a request asking what happens in such a situation. When we came here, we saw the Bangladesh team has cancelled their training session. After looking at the outside environment, we asked the ICC, “What’s the plan?”.”

“They said, they’ll have a discussion and then they have come back. They have installed all the required equipment here and they have got the specialist to check and they are helping us out. They have already informed us that they are planning to go ahead. We will do exactly what ICC tells us to do,” Halangoda said.

In constant touch with the medical team

Speaking about the guideline given to the players to play in poor-quality air, the Lankan media manager said the team has been in constant touch with its medical and strictly following the instructions given by the ICC.

“We are constantly in touch with the medical team back in Sri Lanka. Actually, the professor who is in charge is in India, who has come for a conference, and we are in touch with him. And definitely, we will be looking at the [Air Quality] index, but we will be guided by the ICC,” Halangoda said.

“They have a medical panel and they will be giving us instructions. Today when we came here we were asked to wear masks. But it depends upon how the AQI is and then we’ll make a call on it,” he added.