South Africa vs India: 4th T20 Abandoned in Lucknow Fog

Cricket fans who gathered at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on December 17, 2025, went home without seeing a single ball bowled. The 4th T20I between India and South Africa was called off after nearly three hours of delays caused by hazardous fog and smog — and the decision is reigniting an old debate about when and where India schedules its winter cricket.

Series Status: India leads 2-1 ·
Match Abandoned: Zero balls bowled ·
Abandonment Time: 9:25 PM IST ·
Lucknow AQI: 411 (hazardous)

Match officials recorded the key parameters of the abandoned fixture at Ekana Stadium.

Why is the 4th T20 delayed?

The match never got underway despite a full evening of attempts. Umpires Rohan Pandit and KN Ananthapadmanabhan conducted six separate inspections, with the BCCI itself announcing the initial toss delay citing “excessive fog” in Lucknow. The Air Quality Index at the venue crossed 400 — well into the hazardous range — with visibility so poor that batters would have been unable to track fast bowlers’ deliveries. By 9:25 PM IST, the sixth inspection confirmed what many had suspected: no game was possible tonight.

Reasons for Lucknow abandonment

Winter evenings in northern India frequently bring dense fog, but the Lucknow situation combined two factors that made play impossible. The ambient smog from city pollution reduced visibility to dangerous levels, while the natural fog layer that settles after dark compounded the problem. Hardik Pandya was photographed wearing a face mask while waiting near the pitch — a visible sign of how serious conditions had become. Former India batter Robin Uthappa was blunt in his assessment: delaying the toss was counterintuitive because fog only worsens as night falls.

Impact on series schedule

The abandoned fixture leaves India still holding a 2-1 series lead with three matches remaining on the tour itinerary. The 5th T20I moves to Ahmedabad, where India has the opportunity to clinch the series outright. Whether the 4th T20I gets a rescheduled date or is formally recorded as abandoned without points remains unclear — the BCCI has not issued a statement on how it will handle the fixture.

How to watch India vs South Africa live?

For those who missed the action — or who want to catch the remaining matches of the series — there are several options to follow India vs South Africa cricket live.

Streaming platforms

The matches are available through the official digital platform of the broadcaster handling Indian home internationals. Cricbuzz provides live score updates and ball-by-ball commentary for those who cannot access video coverage. The platform also offers match summaries and statistical breakdowns that work well for following series developments on mobile devices.

Broadcast channels

Television coverage for Indian home internationals typically runs on major sports networks. Star Sports holds the rights for cricket broadcasts in India, while international viewers can access matches through their regional sports packages. Sky Sports provides coverage for viewers in the United Kingdom, aligning with the global reach of major bilateral series.

Who scored 149 runs in 44 balls?

That record belongs to AB de Villiers, who achieved the feat playing for South Africa in an IPL match — not in an India vs South Africa bilateral fixture. The 149-run innings stands as one of the fastest in T20 cricket history, but it belongs to a different context than the current series discussion.

AB de Villiers record

De Villiers’ 149 off 44 balls came during the 2015 IPL while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore. The innings featured 10 fours and 11 sixes, showcasing the kind of power hitting that made him one of the most feared batters in limited-overs cricket. The record has been cited in various contexts to illustrate explosive T20 batting, though it predates the current India-South Africa series by a decade.

Context in SA vs IND matches

While de Villiers is retired from international cricket, his performances against India remain reference points when discussing South African batting firepower. The current Proteas squad does not include a player who has matched that specific feat, but the team brings its own aggressive batters to this T20 series as part of their South Africa in India 2025-26 tour itinerary.

Is Mohammed Siraj replacing Harshit Rana?

The research does not contain confirmed information about Mohammed Siraj replacing Harshit Rana in the India squad. Reports indicate Axar Patel is ruled out of the rest of the T20I series, and Shubman Gill has already been ruled out due to a foot injury. Jasprit Bumrah was reported as unlikely to return for the 4th T20I — a report that became moot when the match was abandoned.

T20 World Cup 2026 squad changes

The series between India and South Africa serves as preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Squad selections for that tournament are not yet finalized, and squad rotations during bilateral series like this one are common as teams evaluate their options. Any confirmed changes to India’s T20 World Cup squad would be announced through official BCCI channels.

Injury details

Confirmed injuries from the research include Shubman Gill (foot) and Axar Patel (ruled out of the remainder of the T20I series). Both are significant omissions from India’s XI, creating opportunities for other players in the squad. The foot injury that ruled Gill out was sustained before the abandoned Lucknow fixture.

South Africa vs India scorecard and highlights

Since the 4th T20I produced no play, there is no traditional scorecard for this fixture. The series score stands at 2-1 in India’s favor based on results from the first three matches.

Latest T20 scores

India won the first two matches of the five-match series before South Africa claimed the third. The abandoned 4th T20I would have been the second-to-last match of the series — India now needs one win from the remaining two or three matches (depending on whether the abandoned fixture is rescheduled) to clinch the series.

Key performances

No individual performances were recorded in the abandoned match. Players to watch in upcoming fixtures include South Africa’s batting lineup seeking to capitalize on India’s injury-depleted bowling attack, while India’s batters will look to maintain their series-leading momentum in Ahmedabad.

For traveling South African fans, the fog was more than an inconvenience — their team’s chance to claw back the series evaporated along with the visibility. The question now is whether India’s depleted lineup can close out the series or whether South Africa can force a decisive final match.

Criticism of BCCI scheduling

The abandoned match drew sharp criticism from multiple directions. MP and cricket commentator Shashi Tharoor did not hold back on social media, pointing out that Lucknow’s AQI read 411 while his home city Thiruvananthapuram registered just 68 — calling the scheduling decision indefensible. Tribune India noted that the BCCI faced criticism for scheduling winter matches in northern India amid pollution and fog risks — a pattern that has produced similar postponements in past seasons.

“Cricket fans have been waiting in vain for the match to start in Lucknow. But thanks to dense smog… AQI of 411, visibility is too poor to permit a game of cricket. They should have scheduled the game in Thiruvananthapuram, where AQI is about 68 right now!”

— Shashi Tharoor, MP and cricket commentator (Hindustan Times)

Fans at the stadium expressed their disappointment openly — one video of a supporter visibly emotional at the announcement went viral on social media. No press conference was held by either team post-abandonment, leaving fans without official explanation beyond the BCCI’s initial fog announcement.

Series context and what’s ahead

South Africa returned to international cricket in 1991 after the apartheid-era boycott, and the nation has built a reputation as a competitive touring side across all formats. This five-match T20I series is part of their South Africa in India 2025-26 tour itinerary, which also includes Test and ODI fixtures.

The pitch at Ekana Stadium has historically favored pacers early in matches, with spin offering less assistance than at some other Indian venues. Whether the abandoned 4th T20I is rescheduled at the same venue or moved elsewhere will affect team selection strategies — particularly given India’s injury concerns and South Africa’s need to win matches to stay competitive in the series.

Timeline

Six inspections over nearly three hours failed to produce safe playing conditions at Ekana Stadium.

The pattern is clear: the earlier the BCCI had abandoned the fixture, the less disruption for everyone involved. By choosing to wait through six inspections across nearly three hours, the governing body created uncertainty that extended into the night for players, staff, and fans.

What we know versus what remains uncertain

Fan reactions and the human cost

Cricket matches abandoned due to weather are never popular with supporters who have traveled — sometimes considerable distances — to attend. The video of a fan breaking down emotionally at the announcement circulated widely on social media, resonating with viewers who understood the investment of time and money that goes into attending a live match.

Neither the Indian nor South African camp held a post-match press conference, leaving a vacuum that social media filled with commentary ranging from sympathetic to scathing. The absence of official communication from either team added to the sense of anticlimax for those following remotely.

Related reading: Where to Watch India vs South Africa Cricket Live Stream

Dense fog forced the 4th T20I abandonment after six checks with AQI at 411, as reflected in the 4th T20I scorecard leading into the Ahmedabad finale.

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