Nobody wanted the IND vs SA 4th T20I to end this way. The match in Lucknow got cancelled due to the terrible air quality. Toxic smog covered the entire stadium making visibility almost impossible for players. BCCI officials and thousands of fans felt deeply disappointed about this situation.
When Pollution Stopped Cricket
The match was scheduled to start at 7 PM yesterday evening. Players came out for warm-ups but struggled to see properly. Toxic smog kept getting worse as time passed by unfortunately. Match officials inspected the field multiple times hoping for improvement somehow.
Rajeev Shukla stood on the field discussing conditions with the umpires visibly frustrated. The BCCI vice-president knew this T20I abandonment would upset everyone badly. By 9:30 PM, officials finally called off the game completely. The Air Quality Index crossed 400 dangerously during those hours.
Hardik Pandya wore a mask and felt uncomfortable in the cold and smoggy conditions. Varun Chakravarthy also struggled to adjust to the hazardous environment there. Players’ health matters more than any cricket match ultimately everyone agrees.
“I’ve never played at a ground this cold, so I did find it quite challenging,” Chakravarthy said.
Questions About Venue Selection
This wasn’t the first problematic match in the IND vs SA series. Two earlier games happened in New Chandigarh and Dharamsala with pollution issues. North India regularly faces severe air quality problems during the winter months.
Critics questioned why management scheduled matches in these regions during December. Rajeev Shukla faced tough questions from the media about venue planning decisions. The BCCI received heavy criticism for not considering weather patterns properly.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor suggested Thiruvananthapuram as a better alternative venue. Southern cities have much cleaner air quality throughout the winter seasons. His suggestion makes sense, considering player safety concerns raised yesterday.
“Cricket fans have been waiting in vain for the #INDVSSAODI to start in Lucknow. But thanks to dense smog, pervasive in most north Indian cities, and an AQI of 411, visibility is too poor to permit a game of cricket. They should’ve scheduled the game in Thiruvananthapuram, where AQI is about 68 right now!” Tharoor wrote on X.
What This Means Going Forward
The T20I abandonment highlights serious scheduling problems for the Indian cricket board. Winter matches in northern regions risk similar cancellations in future too. The board needs to plan tournaments more carefully considering environmental factors now.
Fans who bought tickets felt cheated by circumstances beyond anyone’s control. The IND vs SA series continues to the final match soon. Hopefully, toxic smog won’t ruin that game for players and supporters.
