LUCKNOW (Kashmir English): The T20 match between India and South Africa(India vs South Africa) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow was called off due to dense fog.
The toss was scheduled to take place at 6:30 pm local time, but despite several inspections of the pitch, the toss could not be held.
The umpires finally declared the match officially over at 9:30 pm.
At the time of the call-off, India was leading the five-match series 2-1, with the final match to be played in Ahmedabad on Friday.
The series is part of preparations for the T20 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February.
The match (India vs South Africa) was called off due to dense fog as playing conditions became unsafe, a statement issued by the cricket board said.
During this, Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya was seen wearing a mask, which sparked a debate on social media about the increasing air pollution.
The visiting team swept India in the Test series, while the ODI series was contested until the deciding match, which India won 1-2.
India took a 1-2 lead in the T20 series with two impressive victories, but could not seal the series early due to poor lighting in Lucknow.
It is worth noting that fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who could not attend the previous match due to personal reasons, was present with the team in Lucknow.
His return is being considered as encouraging news for the Indian team ahead of the final match in Ahmedabad, especially since this match will be played in Bumrah’s hometown.
Moreover, according to air monitoring agency IQ Air, the levels of cancer-causing PM 2.5 particles in some areas of Lucknow have reached 78 micrograms per cubic meter, which is more than 5 times the daily limit recommended by the World Health Organization.
In recent days, the pollution situation has also been found to be very bad in other parts of north India, especially in the capital Delhi, where PM 2.5 levels exceeded the World Health Organization limit by up to 20 times. The situation was further highlighted when football star Lionel Messi visited Delhi on Monday.
