The fourth match of the five-match T20 series being played between India and South Africa was to be held on Wednesday at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, but the weather dashed the hopes of cricket lovers. Due to dense fog, neither the toss could take place nor the game could start, due to which it was decided to cancel the match. Now the decisive match of this series will be played on 19th December in Ahmedabad, on which the eyes of both the teams will be fixed.
Umpire came to inspect the field six times
The toss time for the match was fixed at 6:30 pm, but the dense fog on the ground reduced visibility considerably. The umpires took stock of the situation and postponed the toss. The organizers and officials tried their best to start the game by around 9:30 pm, but there was no improvement in the weather. During this period, the umpire entered the field six times and inspected the situation. Senior BCCI official Rajiv Shukla also reached the stadium, but after waiting for about three and a half hours it became clear that the game was not possible. After this the match was officially declared cancelled.
At present Team India is leading 2-1 in this series. In such a situation, the last match to be held in Ahmedabad has become very important in terms of the outcome of the series. If India wins this match, it will win the series, while South Africa will have a chance to equalize.
The cancellation of this match is also a matter of concern for Team India for another reason. There are less than two months left for the T20 World Cup and India’s campaign is to start from February 7. India has to play a total of six T20 matches before the World Cup. One against South Africa and five against New Zealand. In such a situation, every match was very important in terms of preparation. The cancellation of this match gives a bit of a blow to the team’s plans.
Shubman Gill injured
Meanwhile, another disappointing news came out for India from Lucknow. Team vice-captain Shubhman Gill has once again got injured. He has suffered a leg injury, which is the second time in the last one month that he has been injured. Earlier, he was out of the Test and ODI series due to a neck injury during the Kolkata Test. He definitely returned in the T20 series, but his bat has remained silent till now. In such a situation, both Gill’s fitness and form have become a cause of concern for the team management.
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