In a shocking and unusual scene at the MCA Cricket Ground, Mumbai stars were seen wearing protective masks while fielding during their Ranji Trophy 2025-26 clash against Delhi on January 29.
Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan and Himanshu Singh were the first two players to protect themselves from the suffocating pollution and dust from nearby construction work that distracted everyone during the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 clash on Thursday.
Mumbai players are playing wearing masks amid stifling air during the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 match.
The air quality was so bad that another Mumbai player Musheer Khan also took the field with a mask as a precaution.
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pollution force #musheerkhan Have to wear a mask too! https://t.co/Zk0IbYz6Rf
– Gaurav Gupta (@toi_gauravG) 29 January 2026
Pollution and surrounding construction have ensured that Mumbai players wear masks while playing #RanjiTrophy game. pic.twitter.com/ZM5F6HbLLi
– Devendra Pandey (@pdevendra) 29 January 2026
two players of #MumbaiRanjiTrophy The team is wearing masks while fielding. #sarfarazkhan And #HimanshuSingh
– Devendra Pandey (@pdevendra) 29 January 2026
The incident has sparked conversations about the increasing impact of urban pollution on sports, with many calling for immediate attention to protecting players’ health during cricket matches, especially when games are held in polluted cities.
The classic Mumbai vs Delhi rivalry feels empty
Mumbai vs Delhi Ranji Trophy match usually brings excitement, but this time the excitement of this match has faded. Both teams are without big stars, and there is very little at stake; There is not much excitement for the fans. Mumbai has been unbeaten in Elite Group D.
With 30 points in six matches, Mumbai team has already secured a place in the quarter-finals, which means all their knockout matches will be played on home ground, which will give them a big advantage. Delhi, on the other hand, have struggled throughout the tournament.
Delhi team has not been able to achieve even a single win, five matches have been drawn and one has been lost. With little time to play, their encounter against Mumbai lacked the intensity that fans usually expect.
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Mumbai vs Delhi Ranji Trophy match begins with emotional tribute to Ajit Pawar
Meanwhile, the Mumbai vs Delhi Ranji Trophy clash began with a powerful and emotional moment as players, officials and fans came together to pay their respects to late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. A moment of silence was observed to pay respect to Pawar’s life, memory and his contribution to the state.
The tribute created a solemn atmosphere at the MCA Cricket Ground. Fans in the stands bowed their heads in respect, showing solidarity with the people of Maharashtra at this tragic time. Notably, Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday morning when the plane he was traveling in crashed while attempting to land near Baramati, leaving the state in shock.
Sanat Sangwan scored a brilliant century for Delhi
Talking about Ranji Trophy match, in this match Mumbai won the toss and invited Delhi to bat first. Delhi had a bad start and opener Dhruv Kaushik was out cheaply after scoring 7 runs. But Sanat Sangwan stood firm under pressure and played a brilliant innings to keep Delhi in the game.
However, Sangwan did not get support from the other end and wickets kept falling. The Delhi opener played a brilliant inning of 118 runs in 218 balls till the stumps against Mumbai, taking his team past 220/8. Apart from Sangwan, Vaibhav Kandpal (32) and Pranav Rajvanshi (39) were the only two batsmen who could cross the 30-run mark on the first day.