Shashi Tharoor criticized BCCI for canceling the fourth T20 match in Thiruvananthapuram.

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Fourth T20 match between India and South Africa canceled

New Delhi. The fourth T20 match between India and South Africa being held in Lucknow has been canceled due to dense fog. In this matter, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has raised questions on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Criticizing the level of air quality in Lucknow, he has questioned the decision taken in hosting international matches.

Match canceled due to fog

This match was canceled without the toss on Wednesday at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. It was not possible to conduct the game due to extremely poor visibility conditions. After this, BCCI’s Tour and Fixture Committee has faced criticism. Particularly, questions are being raised on the decision to hold day-night matches in winter in North and East India.

Constant inspection by umpires

The fog was so dense that tracking the ball proved dangerous for the fielders. For this reason the toss was repeatedly delayed. The umpires inspected the field a total of six times, but ultimately decided to abandon the match. The toss of the match was scheduled at 6:30 pm, but it was delayed due to fog. The time of first inspection was 6:50 pm, but the circumstances did not change. Subsequently, inspections were conducted at 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00 and 9:25.

Tharoor’s concern

During the inspection at 7:30 pm, the umpires checked the visibility. An umpire standing near the pitch asked his colleague on the boundary whether they were able to see each other and the ball clearly. Also, BCCI Vice President and UPCA President Rajeev Shukla also reached the ground to take stock of the environment, but in all assessments the visibility was found to be unsuitable for the game.

Tharoor said on social media that cricket fans were unnecessarily waiting for the match to start in Lucknow. Due to dense fog with AQI of 411 in most parts of North India, visibility was so poor that it was not possible to organize the match. He suggested that the match should have been played in Thiruvananthapuram, where the AQI is around 68.