IND vs SA 4th T20I: Why Was the Match Abandoned at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium?

Udaipur, Dec 17, 2025: The fourth T20 between India and South Africa was abandoned due to low visibility. Earlier in the evening, the toss itself was delayed at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The delay was due to very poor visibility in the stadium caused by heavy fog. The umpires were seen checking the conditions at 6:50 pm, while the players waited for an update.

After the inspection, the players were informed that another check would take place at 7:30 pm IST to review the conditions. However, the situation did not improve. As the temperature is expected to drop further during the night, the conditions may become more difficult for both players and umpires. Another inspection was held at 8:00 pm to decide if the match could be played. After that meeting, one more inspection was scheduled for 8:30 pm, where it was decided finally that the match will need to be abandoned due to poor visibility.

Pitch Report

According to people present at the ground, they are not able to see the other end of the pitch because of heavy fog. This clearly shows how difficult the conditions are in Lucknow. The pitch also feels very damp, as mentioned by Deep Dasgupta and Pommy Mbangwa.

They said, “It is a cold and foggy winter evening. The square boundaries are 66 meters, and 77 meters straight down the ground. The pitch has a mix of red and black soil. It usually plays well, holds nicely, and offers good bounce. But the surface is very cold, and it is hard to keep moisture out because of the season. So, the match may not be high-scoring. A total of around 150–160 can be expected. There could be some movement, and the surface may help more when dew comes in.”