The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released an official statement on the fourth T20 match between India and South Africa, which was abandoned due to dense fog in Lucknow. BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia said that the responsibility of ticket refund lies with Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA).
The fourth T20 match between India and South Africa at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, December 17 had to be abandoned due to dense fog. With no result, the Men in Blue lead the series 2-1, which will be decided in the fifth and final match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on December 19.
Fourth T20 match had to be canceled in Lucknow due to fog
The fourth T20 match in Lucknow was delayed by several hours due to poor visibility due to fog. The toss was to take place at 6:30 pm, but it did not happen due to unsafe conditions. The umpires inspected several times throughout the evening to check whether play could begin.
Checks were conducted at regular intervals, but visibility did not improve at any level. After repeated inspections yielded no positive results, officials eventually canceled the match at 9:30 pm. No ball was bowled during the game.
With the cancellation of the match, India is ahead 2-1 in the five-match series. This abandonment has raised questions over the scheduling of international matches during the winter. Notably, India is set to host the T20 World Cup in February-March next year.
Everything in ticketing is done by the state association – BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia
Fans who had purchased tickets were left without the game. Many viewers are now looking for clarity on whether they will get their money back or not.
Devjit Saikia said that refund decisions do not come under the direct control of the board. He said the entire ticketing process, including refunds, is handled by the host association.
“It is under the jurisdiction of the state cricket association, which is UPCA. So, the state hosting the game is UPCA. So, they will be able to tell you about it and they are the competent authority,” Saikia told IANS on Thursday.
“Everything in ticketing is done by the state association because BCCI just gives them the hosting rights and all these things are taken care of and are under the jurisdiction of the state association,” he said.
It’s a lonely weather situation – Devjit Saikia
Hardik Pandya was seen wearing a mask on the field due to fog and poor air quality. The situation highlighted long-standing concerns about hosting matches in northern India during the winter, although officials described it as an unusual case rather than a routine problem.
“No, it’s the weather conditions alone. Normally we have this kind of weather in the month of January. This time it’s quite early, number one, and number two, we had a match in Dharamshala recently as well. Dharamshala is a very cold place. So you can’t predict fog and rain. Nowadays cricket is a 12-year-old event throughout the year, and we have to have matches.”
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