Lucknow T20I abandoned due to fog, angering fans who blame poor BCCI scheduling

Lucknow: The fourth T20I between India and South Africa at Lucknow's Ekana Cricket Stadium was called off on Thursday due to dense fog, sparking frustration among fans who criticised the BCCI for scheduling an evening match despite predictable winter weather conditions.

On-field umpires Rohan Pandit and K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan conducted six separate inspections but were forced to abandon the game as visibility worsened throughout the evening. The decision was made as dense fog enveloped the ground and the Air Quality Index (AQI) neared the 400 mark, making play impossible. BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla was present and conferred with officials, but the weather did not relent.

Spectators, who had waited for hours, expressed their disappointment. Many argued that the BCCI’s Tours and Fixtures Committee should have anticipated the conditions. "Today's weather prediction is so accurate... If we knew this, we could have seen this played as a match in the afternoon," one fan told IANS, suggesting a 12 p.m. start would have avoided the issue. Another called the decision to host a night game in winter a "mistake," highlighting the emotional and financial investment made by fans who travel from afar.

The fans' frustrations were supported by meteorological data. A day earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an orange alert for ‘very dense fog’ across central and eastern Uttar Pradesh. While acknowledging that player safety is paramount, spectators felt that the predictable weather should have been factored into the schedule to prevent the cancellation.

(Inputs from IANS)