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

The fourth T20I between India and South Africa in Lucknow was abandoned without a 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 umpires carried out inspections roughly every 30 minutes, hoping for improved conditions. However, the dense fog showed no signs of lifting. With a prolonged delay expected, the grounds staff covered the pitch with hessian sheets around 8 PM.

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.

Despite the conditions, the stadium remained nearly half-full until the official abandonment.

India leads the five-match series 2-1. The fifth and final T20I will be played in Ahmedabad on Friday, December 19, where South Africa will have the opportunity to level the series.