BCCI scheduling questioned after smog forces abandonment of India vs South Africa 4th T20I at Lucknow

The fourth T20I between India and South Africa was called off on Wednesday because thick smog led to very poor visibility at the Ekana Stadium.

The fourth T20I between India and South Africa was called off on Wednesday because thick smog led to very poor visibility at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow. The incident has raised fresh concerns about the BCCI’s decision to schedule matches in northern India during the peak winter season.

The full series against South Africa was spread across several cities, including New Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Lucknow, Ranchi, Raipur, Visakhapatnam, Cuttack, Ahmedabad, Guwahati and Kolkata, during November and December.

This time of year is known for high pollution levels in cities such as Lucknow, New Chandigarh and Dharamsala, where air quality often becomes dangerous.

Although the match was officially abandoned due to “excessive fog,” the main issue was heavy smog covering the stadium, making it difficult to see clearly. Lucknow’s Air Quality Index stayed above 400 on Wednesday, which falls in the hazardous category. This has again sparked debate over whether enough importance is being given to players’ health.

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya was seen wearing a face mask while warming up, likely to protect himself from the polluted air. The game was supposed to start at 7 PM but was finally called off at 9:30 PM after six inspections. By then, it was clear that visibility would only get worse as the night went on.

Players stopped their warm-up by around 7:30 PM and went back to the dressing rooms. By 9 PM, many spectators had also started leaving the stadium due to the cold and long wait. BCCI vice-president and senior Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association official Rajeev Shukla came onto the field during one inspection. His reaction after speaking to officials suggested disappointment.

Since there is no reserve day, both teams will now travel to Ahmedabad for the final T20I on Friday, with India holding a 2-1 lead in the series. While the BCCI follows a venue rotation system, it could have considered exchanging venues with the upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand, which begins on January 11.

India’s series against New Zealand will be played mostly in western and southern cities such as Vadodara, Rajkot, Indore, Nagpur, Raipur, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram, with only one match in Guwahati.

Historically, winter matches in northern India have often been affected by weather conditions.

Just last week, the third T20I in Dharamsala was played in temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. After the match, India spinner Varun Chakravarthy admitted that the cold conditions were especially tough for him.

On match day in Dharamsala, the air quality was rated as “poor,” while during the second T20I in New Chandigarh it had reached the “severe” level. This has raised doubts about the BCCI operations team’s planning, especially if past weather and pollution data for northern Indian cities were not properly studied. There also appeared to be no backup plan, such as scheduling matches earlier in the day, which might have at least allowed fans who bought tickets to watch some cricket.

(With PTI Inputs)