India-Sri Lanka ODI series opener moved from Delhi to Visakhapatnam

The opening ODI of the India-Sri Lanka series, scheduled for December 13, has been shifted from the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi to the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Growing concerns over air pollution and proposed renovation work at the Delhi venue prompted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to make the change.

Delhi grapples with severe air pollution every year between December and February. Air quality often deteriorates to hazardous levels during the winter months across the Delhi-NCR region. The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) requested the BCCI to relocate the fixture, and the board subsequently approved the move.

The last ODI played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka clash during the 2023 ODI World Cup. The match is best remembered for Angelo Mathews becoming the first player to be timed out in international cricket. Mathews' helmet strap broke while he was adjusting it before taking strike. As the Sri Lanka all-rounder was not ready to face his first ball within two minutes of the previous batter's dismissal, he was adjudged out after Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan appealed.

Delhi has not hosted an international fixture in December for nearly nine years. The last such match was a Test between India and Sri Lanka in 2017, when several Sri Lankan players wore masks because of the city's poor air quality.

Sri Lanka's upcoming tour of India comprises three ODIs and three T20Is.

Sri Lanka's white-ball tour of India 2026