The toss for the fourth T20I of India vs South Africa at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow has been delayed due to heavy fog in the area. Visibility at the ground has been extremely poor, forcing match officials to hold back proceedings.
Umpires carried out an initial inspection at around 6:50 pm IST as players from both teams waited for clarity. After that check, officials informed the teams that another inspection would take place at 7:30 pm to reassess conditions. However, there was no improvement in visibility.
With temperatures expected to drop further as the night progresses, conditions are likely to worsen for both players and umpires. A fresh inspection was held at 8:30 pm to decide whether the match could go ahead at all, following which another inspection was scheduled for 9:25 pm IST.
What’s the pitch report?
People present at the stadium said visibility was so poor that the other end of the pitch could not be seen clearly. Commentators Deep Dasgupta and Pommy Mbangwa also pointed out that the surface felt extremely cold.
“It’s a chilly and foggy winter evening. The square boundaries are 66 meters and 77 meters down the ground. The pitch has a mix of red and black soil and usually plays well with good bounce. But the surface is very cold to the touch, and it’s hard to keep moisture out because of the season. Scoring may not be very high. A total of around 150–160 could be expected. There should be lateral movement, with some help from the pitch once the dew sets in,” they explained.
As things stand, the fourth T20I in Lucknow is in serious danger of being called off due to the lack of improvement in conditions. Hardik Pandya was seen wearing a mask while briefly training in the middle, before players from both sides eventually walked back to the dressing rooms.