India vs South Africa 4th T20 abandoned due to fog

LUCKNOW: The fourth T20 international between India national cricket team and South Africa national cricket team was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Wednesday due to heavy fog and poor visibility in Lucknow.

Although air pollution levels in the city were alarmingly high, with the Air Quality Index crossing 400, match officials said their main concern was the severely reduced visibility on the ground.

Umpires conducted six inspections in an attempt to start the match. During one check, an umpire stood near the square boundary and tried to spot a white ball thrown by a colleague near the pitch, but the dense fog made it impossible to see clearly. The match was eventually called off at 9:26 pm.

With the series currently standing at 2–1 in India’s favour after three matches, the hosts have now recorded their 15th unbeaten T20 series. The fifth and final match of the series will be played on Friday in Ahmedabad.

The scheduling of cricket matches in northern India during winter has long been a subject of debate, as fog and air pollution often create problems for players and officials. In the past, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also been forced to revise match schedules, including moving a Test match against South Africa from Delhi to avoid peak pollution levels.

South Africa’s tour of India will conclude in Ahmedabad on Friday. The tour has seen mixed results, with the visitors securing a clean sweep in the Test series, while India won the one-day international series 2–1 after a closely contested decider.

In the T20 series, India gained a 2–1 lead with two convincing victories but were unable to seal the series early due to the abandoned match in Lucknow.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the previous match for personal reasons, was present with the team in Lucknow. His expected return for the final match in Ahmedabad is seen as a major boost for India, especially as the game will be played in his hometown.