IND Vs SA 4th T20I: Hardik Pandya Seen Wearing Mask At Ekana Cricket Stadium In Lucknow Due To Smog And Bad AQI

Lucknow, December 17: Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya was caught on camera wearing a mask ahead of the 4th T20I against South Africa at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. There are reports that the toss for the IND Vs SA 4th T20I clash has been delayed due to the bad weather conditions in Lucknow.

The fog is visible on the ground as players reach the stadium ahead of the game. Hardik Pandya was seen wearing a mask during the practice and warm up session ahead of the match. The Indian cricket team players were also seen practicing and doing warm up for the game amid thick layer of fog on the ground. The visibility seems to be less on the ground which has forced the toss to be delayed.

As per reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the reason for the toss delay was excessive fog in Lucknow. The floodlights have been turned on due to the lack of visibility due to the smog on the ground. As per the latest reports, the inspection will be held at 6.50 PM IST and the timing for the toss will be announced after the inspection.

India will aim to seal the series when they play at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. After a commanding win in Dharamsala, the Men in Blue regained the series lead and will be eager to finish the job with two matches still left. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India will look to avoid letting the series go to a deciding game.

The remaining matches will also be important for India as they test team combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. With the World Cup squad set to be announced in the first week of January, the games against South Africa will be India’s final opportunity to assess players and fine-tune plans.