'Excessive fog' forces abandonment of India-SA T20I in Lucknow

The fourth T20I between India and South Africa in Lucknow was abandoned without toss due to "excessive fog". Match officials deemed the visibility too poor for play and called off the game at 9:25 pm local time.

The toss, originally scheduled for 6:30 pm, was repeatedly delayed as the umpires carried out inspections roughly every 30 minutes in the hope that conditions would improve. However, the dense fog that had descended on the city showed no signs of lifting. With a prolonged delay expected, the grounds staff covered the pitch with hessian sheets at around 8pm.

Poor air quality further compounded the situation, with the AQI in Lucknow crossing 400 around the scheduled start time. Both teams spent extended periods indoors, with Hardik Pandya even wearing a mask while out in the middle.

Despite the conditions, the stadium remained nearly half-full until the official abandonment, with India set to play in Lucknow for the first time since the 2023 World Cup.

India lead the five-match series 2-1 and will next face South Africa in the fifth and final T20I in Ahmedabad on Friday, December 19, where the visitors will have the opportunity to level the series.