IND vs SA, 4th T20I: Weather plays spoilsport, match called off due to ‘excessive fog’ in Lucknow

The fourth T20 international between India and South Africa was abandoned due to ‘excessive fog’ at the Ekana Stadium here on Wednesday.

Even as players went about their pre-match routines, the toss scheduled at 6:30 p.m. was delayed, with the match officials deciding to have an inspection at 6:50 p.m.

Following that, on-field umpires K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan and Rohan Pandit, alongside reserve umpire J.R. Madanagopal, held further inspections every half-hour from 7:30 p.m until 9:25 p.m, even as conditions kept getting worse. At 9:30 p.m, the game was eventually called off.

The players who had been initially out on the field had returned to the dressing room by quarter-past seven.

Initially, visibility near the long-on boundary from the pavilion end was poor, but by the time the third inspection was held at 8 p.m., a haze had engulfed much of the stadium and the groundstaff covered the pitch.

Despite the repeated delay, spectators waited fervently, hoping to see some action. Minutes before the final inspection, crowds in one section of the stadium began throwing things, prompting security forces to enter the gallery to restore order quickly.

India leads the five-match series 2-1, and the final game will be held in Ahmedabad on December 19.

Dense fog has descended over much of Northern India, affecting flight and train schedules since Monday.

Fog has often affected cricket matches, especially domestic matches at this time of year, leading to delayed starts and shortened playing hours.

Combined with fog during the Indian winter, the air pollution, especially in the northern parts of the country, has been worsening in recent weeks.

According to the AQI website, the air quality in Lucknow on Wednesday exceeded 400, placing it in the hazardous range. India all-rounder Hardik Pandya was spotted wearing a protective face mask during the pre-match warm-up routines. It once again raises questions about the decision to allot matches in this part of the country during winter, when conditions are far from conducive.

In 2017, during the third Test between India and Sri Lanka in New Delhi, play was briefly interrupted on day two due to air pollution after a few Sri Lankan players complained of breathing issues, and some even resorted to wearing masks. Pacer Suranga Lakmal also suffered from vomiting during the course of the Test.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that India’s vice-captain, Shubman Gill, suffered an injury on his toe while training on the eve of the match and would likely not have played on Wednesday. Gill’s participation in the next game is also in doubt.