Lucknow, India – The fourth T20 International between India and South Africa at the Ekana Stadium was abandoned due to excessive fog, leaving fans and officials frustrated. The match was scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM IST, with the toss slated for 6:30 PM IST, but the dense fog that enveloped Lucknow caused persistent delays.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the initial delay, citing the adverse weather conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier issued an orange alert for very dense fog across 13 districts in eastern and central Uttar Pradesh and a yellow alert for dense fog in 27 districts stretching from the eastern to western regions of the state.

Multiple inspections were carried out by the umpires, with the first one scheduled for 6:50 PM IST. Subsequent inspections followed at 7:30 PM, 8:00 PM, 8:30 PM, 9:00 PM and 9:25 PM as officials hoped for the fog to dissipate. Despite their efforts, visibility remained poor, leading to the eventual abandonment of the match at 9:30 PM IST.

The decision has sparked debate, with former players and commentators questioning the scheduling and the prolonged wait. According to news sources, one unnamed ex-India star expressed bewilderment at the umpires' decision-making, suggesting that conditions were unlikely to improve as the evening progressed. Robin Uthappa, during the live broadcast, also cautioned that delaying the match might be counterproductive, as fog tends to worsen later in the evening.

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla was seen discussing the situation with the umpires during one of the inspections. Fans who waited for three hours in the hope that the match would proceed were ultimately left disappointed.

The abandonment means India remains 2-1 ahead in the five-match series. They cannot lose the series and will aim to clinch the series victory in the fifth T20I. The final match is scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad on Friday.

In team news, Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the remaining T20I series due to a toe injury sustained during a training session. Sanju Samson is expected to replace him in the playing XI. Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the third T20I due to personal reasons, participated in the warm-up session.

The South African squad includes Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, and Anrich Nortje.