Thiruvananthapuram’s AQI is 68! Tharoor pitches in as Lucknow T20I vanishes in dense fog
Shashi Tharoor made a strong case for Thiruvananthapuram to be considered for a men’s T20I after hazardous fog leads to cancellation of India-South Africa match in Lucknow.
Shashi Tharoor made a strong case for Thiruvananthapuram to be considered for a men’s T20I after hazardous fog leads to cancellation of India-South Africa match in Lucknow.
Shashi Tharoor made a strong case for Thiruvananthapuram to be considered for a men’s T20I after hazardous fog leads to cancellation of India-South Africa match in Lucknow.
As India's fourth T20I match against South Africa on Wednesday was cancelled due to air pollution in Lucknow, Shashi Tharoor MP made a strong pitch for his constituency, Thiruvananthapuram.
"... thanks to dense smog, pervasive in most north Indian cities, and an AQI of 411, visibility is too poor to permit a game of cricket. They should’ve scheduled the game in Thiruvananthapuram, where AQI is about 68 right now!" Tharoor posted on X.
The match was still on, albeit two-and-a-half hours past the scheduled start time, when Tharoor made the post. But shortly afterwards, following a sixth inspection of the ground, the match was called off.
Congress leader Tharoor, an ardent cricket supporter, seldom misses an opportunity to advocate for Thiruvananthapuram, the Lok Sabha constituency he has represented since 2009.
Thiruvananthapuram has not hosted a men’s international match since November 2023 when India and Australia played a T20I at the Greenfield Stadium at Karyavattom. The venue is set to host three Women’s T20Is featuring India and Sri Lanka on December 26, 28 and 30.
Tharoor's voice is often the loudest on social media whenever Malayali cricketers are overlooked for national selection. Tharoor has put out multiple posts in solidarity with Thiruvananthapuram native Sanju Samson whenever the national team management snubbed him.
Incidentally, Sanju was set for a return to the playing XI in the Lucknow T20I as opener Shubman Gill was reportedly injured. Sanju had sat on the bench in the first three T20Is, with Jitesh Sharma preferred as the wicketkeeper batter.
Over the years, Tharoor has also made a strong case for Bengaluru-Malayali Karun Nair, who had gone almost a decade without an India match despite an impressive showing in the domestic format. In early May, Karun's eight-year wait ended when he was included in the India squad for an England tour.