||CF Correspondent ||

The three-match series opener between Bangladesh and India got underway at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi despite all speculation on Sunday.

Post-Diwali, Delhi welcomed Bangladesh and India with the most unusual concerns ahead of the series-opening T20 match as burning eyes along with sore throats and heavy breathing as well as all that all-pervading smog seemed to a permanent fixture in the Indian capital.

The BCCI had previously made it clear that the match would go ahead as scheduled on November 3 even though the air quality issue was brought up by environmentalists.

The game is indeed on despite the schools have been shut, construction work stalled, and athletic activity advised against due to the air pollution.

But the two teams didn’t complain officially and prepared them for the battle.

The game is India’s first International fixture after the Diwali when the air pollution remains severe.

However when contacted Bangladesh officials said that they have no official complain about air quality issue.

‘’We have to consider that it is even for both teams as far as air-pollution and so we cannot make any official complaint in this regard,’’ said a top BCB official when his attention was drawn in this regard as he was travelling to Delhi for the series opener.

‘’Usually the home board takes such decision and this is entirely their option and we must know that it is very difficult to shift venues overnight,’’ he said.

Since the evening there were rumors inside the premises that the game would be postponed due to insufficient light but that eventually did not happen to give the fans- who arrived at the venue despite facing all those difficulties while coming to the field- a chance to have some entertainment.

The National Capital has been in the grip of a severe pollution crisis since last week, with the air quality index breaching the ‘severe’ mark of 400 to touch 484 this week.

Schools have been told to shut till November 5, and the government is distributing 50 lakh masks to students while from Monday, the capital will roll out the odd-even road space rationing scheme to cut vehicular pollution.

Calls from Indian cricket fans to abandon the first T20I between India and Bangladesh grew louder after visuals from Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday showed the grounds enveloped in a thick layer of smog.

Air quality deteriorated further in the national capital region as pollution levels rose to ‘severe-plus emergency’ category. At 12 pm, the air quality index (AQI) of Delhi was at 625, according to the data by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

Hoping to settle some dust, the ground staff splashed water from tankers around the stadium on Sunday while the Delhi and District Cricket Association official said that the match referee will decide on whether it should be cancelled or not, though it was later declared that the match will happen as per schedule.

The visibility in morning was very poor but conditions have improved with each passing hours and it was better in the evening that prompted the match referee not to abandon the game.

The attention of the public only changed towards cricket when both skippers went for the toss that was eventually won by visiting Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah.  

 Mahmudullah opted to field after winning the toss in the series opener and Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar said that he had full support as far as his decision to field is concerned after winning the toss.

Looks a very hard Kotla wicket with no big cracks or dryness on the track and there's a hint of green tinge too, hence the ball will come on to the bat nicely.