Sydney turns Delhi as smog engulfs SCG in Sheffield Shield clash

While Usman Khawaja was reminded of playing in India, former Australian player O’Keefe compared the smoggy conditions to "smoking 80 cigarettes a day".

Liam Hatcher stands in the outfield amid the smoke haze from bushfires at the SCG in Sydney.

Australia batsman Usman Khawaja says the smog in Sydney — because of the bushfires ravaging NSW — reminded him of playing in India. Speaking on the sidelines of a Sheffield Shield match, Khawaja made the comparison when asked about the challenge of competing in thick smog.

“When we arrived here this morning it reminded me of playing in India,” Khawaja was quoted as saying by ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’.

“It was just hard to breathe, there was a lot of smoke. I was only out there for about five overs but it just got stuck in your throat.

“I was surprised the bowlers were bowling for that long, I thought they would have taken out of it. It was bad but it wasn’t unplayable,” he added.

Visibility issues

Former Australian player O’Keefe compared the smoggy conditions to “smoking 80 cigarettes a day“.

“That was far worse than (India),” he said. “It got to the stage we weren’t going to come off for quality, it was more about visibility. It was getting hard to pick the ball up. I’m sure they’ll address it” he added.