SL's Lakmal vomits on field, smog may rob Delhi of future winter tests

Sri Lanka paceman Suranga Lakmal vomited on the field before walking off as Delhi’s notorious smog, which may rob the Indian capital of future winter tests, continued to plague the third and final match on Tuesday.

India’s second innings was into its sixth over when Lakmal was seen bending over and throwing up. The Sri Lankan physio rushed in and eventually walked off with the player.

Lakmal, who returned to bowl the 11th over, and pace colleague Lahiru Gamage had also walked off on Sunday with discomfort.

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) said it would factor in Delhi’s pollution before scheduling a match in the city at this time of the year.

“This point about scheduling matches in Delhi in this particular period can be considered in view of the situation encountered in the last two-three days,” acting BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary told reporters late on Monday.

“This pollution issue has been spoken about for years ... It can’t be seen affecting just one walk of life. The agencies which need to be dealing with it, I‘m sure are dealing with it.”

Delhi’s government last month ordered schools to shut temporarily after pollution readings in some places peaked at 500, the most severe level on the government’s air quality index that measures poisonous particles.

The pollution prompted the board to cancel two Ranji Trophy matches in Delhi last year.

“As you are aware, the BCCI is sensitive about this fog and smog over the years when they scheduled domestic games out of Delhi...” Choudhary said.

Several Sri Lankan players had their facemasks on even on Tuesday.

Their coach Nic Pothas has called Delhi’s air pollution a “unique” and “well-documented” problem but Choudhary said Sri Lanka Cricket did not raise the issue when the tour was being finalised.

“If they had any (objection), they didn’t express it to me,” the BCCI official said.