IND vs SA 4th T20 called off as dense fog ensures no play in Lucknow

The sixth inspection at 9:25 pm effectively ended hopes of any play, even as officials explored the possibility of staging a five-overs-a-side contest

The inevitable happened on Wednesday as the fourth T20 International between India and South Africa was called off due to poor visibility caused by dense fog at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

 

The abandonment came as a major disappointment for fans who had flocked to the stadium to cheer Team India. Lucknow was hosting a T20 match after a gap of nearly 35 months, with the last such fixture at the venue having taken place on January 29, 2023.

 

The toss was scheduled for 6:30 pm, but worsening visibility forced officials to delay proceedings. Conditions failed to improve despite umpires conducting multiple inspections at 7:30 pm, 8 pm, 8:30 pm, 9 pm and finally at 9:25 pm.

 

 

The sixth inspection effectively ended hopes of any play, even as officials explored the possibility of staging a five-overs-a-side contest. The cut-off time for a five-over match was 9:46 pm, but persistent fog made play unsafe, leading to the eventual call-off without a toss.

 

While weather conditions remain beyond anyone’s control, the cancellation once again raised questions over scheduling international matches in North India during peak winter months. From November to January, fog frequently disrupts visibility across the region, and this match ended without a single ball being bowled. 

 

Ekana Stadium and winter scheduling

 

Before Wednesday’s abandoned fixture, the Ekana Stadium had hosted six T20I matches. Notably, this was the first T20I at the venue to be scheduled in December. All previous matches were held in November, January or February — months that are still prone to fog but often offer relatively better playing windows.

 

T20I matches in Lucknow's Ekana Stadium
Team 1	Team 2	Winner	Margin	Ground	Match Date
India	New Zealand	India	6 wickets	Lucknow	Jan 29, 2023
India	Sri Lanka	India	62 runs	Lucknow	Feb 24, 2022
Afghanistan	West Indies	Afghanistan	29 runs	Lucknow	Nov 17, 2019
Afghanistan	West Indies	Afghanistan	41 runs	Lucknow	Nov 16, 2019
Afghanistan	West Indies	West Indies	30 runs	Lucknow	Nov 14, 2019
India	West Indies	India	71 runs	Lucknow	Nov 6, 2018

Source: espncricinfo  ODIs at Ekana Stadium

 

The venue has also hosted several ODI matches, most of them scheduled during October and November, largely avoiding the peak fog period of December and January.

 

ODI matches at Ekana Stadium, Lucknow

 

List of ODI matches played at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Team 1	Team 2	Winner	Margin	Ground	Match Date
Afghanistan	Netherlands	Afghanistan	7 wickets	Lucknow	Nov 3, 2023
India	England	India	100 runs	Lucknow	Oct 29, 2023
Netherlands	Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	5 wickets	Lucknow	Oct 21, 2023
Australia	Sri Lanka	Australia	5 wickets	Lucknow	Oct 16, 2023
Australia	South Africa	South Africa	134 runs	Lucknow	Oct 12, 2023
India	South Africa	South Africa	9 runs	Lucknow	Oct 6, 2022
Afghanistan	West Indies	West Indies	5 wickets	Lucknow	Nov 11, 2019
Afghanistan	West Indies	West Indies	47 runs	Lucknow	Nov 9, 2019
Afghanistan	West Indies	West Indies	7 wickets	Lucknow	Nov 6, 2019

  Source: espncricinfo

 

The abandonment once again underlined the challenges of hosting evening international matches in North India during winter, when fog and smog can quickly derail even the best-laid plans.