WEB DESK: The increasing effects of Nipah virus in India have brought back the debate on the global sporting scene, as fans and analysts urge the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift the T20 world cup to Sri Lanka.
The outbreaks of reported Nipah virus in the eastern part of India have prompted the issuing of alerts by the health authorities in some countries such as Pakistan. Records released by Indian government only show two confirmed cases in West Bengal since December 2025, however one can find indications of larger number of infections and records of hospital personnel also being infected amid suspected nosocomial infection.
Since the Nipah virus is believed to have a mortality rate ranging between 40 and 75 percent, the critics consider that conducting high profile matches in big stadiums like Eden Gardens in Kolkata may be very dangerous to the players, officials and spectators.
The issues are on top of current critique regarding the event management in India. The foreign athletes over the recent years have created concerns in regard to sanitation, safety and environmental conditions during the international competitions. Another emerging threat has been air pollution and domestically based cricketers have been recorded wearing masks during Ranji Trophy games in both Mumbai and Delhi because of the dangerously low air quality.
The fans across the whole world are demanding that all matches of the tournament be relocated to Sri Lanka due to the health protocols and the less risky playing conditions. It is feared that such continuation of events may bring bad publicity to India as a host of international sports.
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