The IND vs SA 4th T20I Match, which was abandoned due to fog, turned out to be a disappointing day for all cricket fans in Lucknow. The fourth encounter in the T20I Series was to take place at the Ekana Cricket Stadium. However, dense fog prevailed at ground level. As a result, the match was abandoned without a single delivery being bowled.
The commencement of the match was to happen at 7:30 PM IST, but it was not feasible to have a toss due to poor visibility of the ground. Ever since the early evening, a thick layer of fog had begun to set in on the ground. The floodlights were switched on, but they were of no use as they were unable to remove the effect of the fog.
But the match officials also carried out a series of inspections on the night. Every time they decided to venture out to the pitch, the visibility was not good at all. The players on the team who were nearest to the boundary would not be able to see the pitch at all. Play would certainly not be a safe option.
“Both sides were ready in their dressing rooms.” The players were warming up or waiting for updates. On the other hand, fans in the stadium held hope. They were optimistic about the belief that maybe the fog would lift during the latter parts of the night. However, this would not be the case.
After several postponements, the umpires finally decided to abandon the match because of the dense fog. This decision was not appreciated by a big number of fans who had turned up in the stadium. However, most of the fans felt in agreement with the umpires’ decision because of the significance of players’ safety.
Fog, other than the quality of air present in Lucknow, was another reasonwhyh the match was abandoned. During the winter season, it is a normal phenomenon for Lucknow to face smog and air pollution. On the day of the match, the smog and the fog resulted in poor visibility.
The call-off has also raised questions among fans and analysts. There has been debate over whether it’s appropriate to have a night match in the north of India when it’s winter in that region. This has happened in seasons held in the past, too, when a match has been cancelled because of bad weather.
In the series category, there have been no effects on the points table. The top position in the five-match T20 international series was retained by India. However, the pause in the ongoing play came as a loss for South Africa.
The supporters who had traveled from other cities felt disappointed. Some supporters had waited for weeks just to witness this particular match. However, not one thought it was a bad decision to cancel the match based on the conditions that prevailed.
Now, the attention shifts towards the last match of the series. The series decider is going to be held in Ahmedabad, which is expected to have better weather. Also, both teams are going to look to finish the tour on a high note.
Thus, the evening that had started in Lucknow was dominated by the weather, not the sport. Nothing was forthcoming despite the wait being hours long. Finally, the wait was ended by the announcement that the IND-South Africa 4th T20 was abandoned due to the fog.
