The India vs South Africa 4th T20I on Wednesday was called off due to excessive smog. The BCCI earlier confirmed that the reason for the delay was excessive smog in Lucknow. Live visuals from the stadium showed severe visibility issues, with the floodlights also disrupting vision. Despite 6 inspections, the umpires could not guarantee a game due to lack of visibility.
It was the 4th game of the series, with India arriving with a 2-1 lead. The two teams were on the field for warm ups, but there was clear blanket of smog in and around the stadium. Such was the adverse conditions that India all-rounder Hardik Pandya wore a mask during practice.
The toss initially scheduled for 6:30 PM IST, was initially pushed back by 20 minutes hoping that the conditions become better. A series of inspections followed with fans waiting in the stands hoping to see the Men in Blue in action. The players did not enter the field after stepping into the dressing room after the first delay given the weather. Lucknow's AQI was in excess of 400, making it hazardous for the players to feature.
The two teams will now head to Ahmedabad for the final game of the India vs South Africa series. It has been a long tour for the Proteas who will look to culminate with a win. The abandoned game meant that India now have an unassailable lead, securing Gautam Gambhir's record of unbeaten T20I series wins. India are yet to lose a bilateral series in the shortest format of the game since Gambhir took charge.
