How Badly Can Delhi’s Pollution Affect the Sri Lankan Cricketers?

Here’s what happens when you play in high levels of pollution.

Here’s what happens when you play in high pollution levels.

(Photo: BCCI)

On a Sunday morning filled with high-octane drama, Sri Lankan cricketers were forced to wear masks, while fielding on the second day of the third and final Test in Delhi.

However, as the day went on, the worsening air quality in the National Capital Region became a worry for the visiting team, whose players seemed to be getting increasingly affected by the pollution. Some people mocked these cricketers (who are used to much cleaner air in their country). They’re calling it a gimmick and a delaying tactic to save face in the match.

Also Read: Smog Kills... So Are You Protecting Yourself Right?

Meanwhile, the Lankan coach claimed players of the visiting team were throwing up and had oxygen in the dressing room. So, let’s see what happens when you play in high pollution levels.

(Photo: Liju Joseph/The Quint)

1. Your throat begins to feel sticky.

Experts say this sticky, icky feeling is the result of your lungs working harder and blood flowing faster due to heavy exertion and your lungs inhaling tiny pollution particles.

2. Breathing the toxic PM 2.5 laced air will shorten your life.

Breathing particulate matter above healthy levels on any given day reduces your lifespan by eight hours, this is without accounting the extreme exertion of a playing a sport, which makes the risk much greater.

When you’re running, you breathe air much deeper – research suggests that when you run you will breathe as much air as a sedentary person would over two days. Imagine the amount of pollutants percolating your lungs.

Also Read: Breathing in Delhi's Pollution = Smoking 20 Cigarettes a Day

3. Bad air can cause heart-attack-like conditions.

The fine particulate matter can go past the nasal hair, your body’s first line of defense, and settle in the lungs. These highly dangerous, toxic particles can cause inflammation and irritation – some even bypass the lungs to get absorbed into the blood.

No one is sure exactly how particulate matter causes heart attacks, one explanation which scientists offer is that these noxious pollution particles don’t act alone – they attach themselves to heavy metals and other toxins in the bloodstream. These hitchhike into the heart can clog arteries, reduce oxygen levels in the blood, creating the perfect condition for a heart attack.

4. Carbon monoxide is a real bloodsucker, so wear a filter... but it’s not easy to run in a mask either.

(Photo: AP)

Scientists have found that in Beijing and Los Angeles, the two cities notorious for noxious air, up to 10% of runners have blood cells overwhelmed by carbon monoxide – this can alter muscle co-ordination.

The medical advice is to wear a mask but it’s not easy to wear heavy-duty equipment and run. Masks aren’t designed for running and breathing at the same time. Plus, what the Sri Lankan players were wearing were surgical masks, which do more harm than good.

Also Read: What Mask Should I Buy? – Yes, We’re Really Asking this Question

The Delhi air has embarrassed its citizens yet again. So, instead of blaming the Sri Lankans for being dramatic, can we look at solving our own problem?

(Breathe In, Breathe Out: Are you finding it tough to breathe polluted air? Join hands with FIT to find #PollutionKaSolution. Send in your suggestions to [e-mail] or WhatsApp @ [phone])