The knockout stage of the Men’s Under-23 one-day cricket tournament, originally scheduled to take place in Delhi from November 25, has been shifted to Mumbai as air pollution in the national capital continues to reach alarming levels.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly directed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to take over hosting duties and conduct the matches between November 25 and December 1, according to a report by The Indian Express.

“We got a call from the BCCI today, informing us that the MCA has been allotted the under-23 one-day knockouts due to high air pollution in the capital. Cricket can’t be played in those conditions,” a source in the MCA told the newspaper.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ Air Quality Early Warning System has forecast further deterioration of Delhi’s air quality in the coming days, with levels expected to remain in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ range.

The board has previously faced criticism for scheduling matches in Delhi during the peak pollution period.

A Test match between India and South Africa, initially planned for November 14-18 this year, was shifted to Kolkata after backlash from environmentalists, medical experts and fans over potential health risks to players.

The capital has seen similar controversies in the past. During a 2017 Test match against Sri Lanka, several visiting players took the field wearing pollution masks and some were forced to leave due to nausea as Air Quality Index readings soared above 300.

The latest relocation has once again brought focus to the worsening winter pollution in Delhi and its impact on major sporting events in the city.