PTI
Lucknow
The fourth T20I between India and South Africa was called off on Wednesday owing to poor visibility after a dense layer of smog engulfed the Ekana Stadium raising serious questions about BCCI’s scheduling of matches in northern part of India during peak winter month.
The venues allotted for the full series against the Proteas included New Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Lucknow, Ranchi, Raipur, Visakhapatnam, Cuttack, Ahmedabad, Guwahati and Kolkata during November and December.
It is also a period when pollution levels in the host cities like Lucknow, New Chandigarh and Dharamsala are usually at its worst.
The fourth T20I was officially abandoned without a ball being bowled due to “excessive fog”, the reality was that a thick blanket of smog enveloped the Ekana Stadium, severely hampering visibility.
The match, scheduled to start at 7 pm, was eventually called off at 9.30 pm after the sixth inspection although it was more of a formality with everyone present well aware that visibility was only going to get worse as the night progressed.
With no reserve day in place, both teams will now fly to Ahmedabad for the final T20I on Friday, with India leading the series 2–1.
