Why is IND vs SA 4th T20I in Lucknow called off?
Know why and how the umpires decided to call off the fourth of the five-match T20i series between India and South Africa at the Bharat Ratna Sri Atal Bihari Bajpai Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
After more than five inspections in about 3 hours, he umpires decided to call off the 4th T20I between India and South Africa at the Bharat Ratna Sri Atal Bihari Bajpai Ekana Stadium in Lucknow Due to dense fog that issues in the visibility of the players. The fog was immense from the start of the evening that the fans standing at both ends of the field were not able to see each other.
At first, the umpires decided to delay the toss for twenty minutes at 6:50 pm. Later, they pushed back the second inspection to 7:30 pm. After three more such inspections in the ground, which were not able to satisfy the umpires, they finally decided to abandon the clash as the Indian players saw the actions taking place from the dressing room.
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It reminds the spectators of the horror story that happened in 2017 during a Test match between India and Sri Lanka at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. That time, the visiting players wore masks and were not able to continue the game, which saw the home captain Virat Kohli declaring the innings and bowling against the Asian neighbors.
Umpires abandon IND vs SA 4th T20I in Lucknow due to dense fog
This doesn’t draw a happy picture before the other countries, and also the International Cricket Council, as India awaits nearly 50 days before hosting the T20 World Cup 2026 along with Sri Lanka. Lucknow does not host T20 matches in the evening in winter, and the decision from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to host the South Africa side hasn’t ended on a happy note.
Before the game, it was reported that India’s vice-captain, Shubman Gill, was not going to feature in this Lucknow game with a foot injury. He will now get another two days to fully recover and take part in the 5th T20I at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, his home ground of the IPL.
India is currently leading the series by a 2-1 margin. This abandoned clash in Lucknow means Suryakumar Yadav has now earned 11 successive unbeaten T20I series victories since being appointed as the captain of the shortest format.
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