‘I sold three sacks of wheat and came here. Want my money back…’: Angry fans demand refund as IND vs SA Lucknow T20I called off
The India vs South Africa 4th T20I in Lucknow was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to dense smog and hazardous AQI levels, leaving fans angry and raising serious questions over BCCI’s scheduling.
The
fourth T20I between India and South Africa in Lucknow was called off on Wednesday night due to poor visibility, leaving fans angry and disappointed. The match was abandoned without a single ball being bowled after thick smog covered the Ekana Stadium, once again raising questions over the BCCI’s decision to schedule matches in north India during winter, when the pollution is at its peak.
Officially, the match was called off due to “excessive fog”, but the real issue was heavy smog caused by air pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Lucknow remained above 400 throughout the evening, which falls in the hazardous category and is dangerous for both players and spectators. Indian all-rounder
Hardik Pandya was seen wearing a surgical mask while warming up before the match.
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The match was scheduled to begin at 7 pm, but the toss itself was delayed as visibility was extremely poor. The umpires conducted six inspections before finally calling off the game at around 9:30 pm. BCCI vice-president and senior Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association official Rajeev Shukla also walked onto the field during one of the inspections.
Fans express anger
Fans who had turned up in large numbers were visibly upset. One supporter said, “I sold three sacks of wheat and came here to watch the match. I want my money back.” Several others echoed similar sentiments on social media, questioning why matches are scheduled in cities known for poor air quality during winter.
#WATCH | Lucknow, UP: Cricket fans express their disappointment as IND vs SA 4th T20 match gets abandoned without a ball being bowled, due to fog.
A fan says, “I sold three sacks of wheat and came here to watch the match. I want my money back…” pic.twitter.com/tMXf7Xo02Y
— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2025
🚨 SERIOUS CONCERN OVER BCCI SCHEDULING
The 4th T20I between India and South Africa being called off due to dense smog at Ekana Stadium raises serious questions on BCCI’s scheduling decisions. Hosting matches in northern cities like Lucknow, New Chandigarh and Dharamsala during… pic.twitter.com/bPzD3N06n4
— Eshani Verma (@eshaniverma809) December 17, 2025STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Today’s India vs South Africa match was cancelled due to weather — a harsh reminder of reality. And yet, governments plan to cut more trees in Tapovan (Nashik) and Aravalli. Want better weather? Save forests, don’t destroy them. #SaveTapovan #SaveAravalli #DelhiPollution #lucknow
— आकाश सातपुते (@akashSatpute539) December 17, 2025
The INDIA vs SOUTH AFRICA match in Lucknow has been officially abandoned due to dense fog.
Will fans who bought tickets receive a full refund?
— Qamar Alam (@AlamQamar4493) December 17, 2025STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
VIDEO | As the fourth T20 International between India and South Africa in Lucknow was abandoned due to smog, a fan expressed disappointment, saying, “We had come to watch the match. We are extremely disappointed and now have to return. We left home early in the morning and came… pic.twitter.com/xlxH59XkoW
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 17, 2025
With no reserve day in place, both teams will now travel to Ahmedabad for the fifth and final T20I on Friday, December 19. India currently lead the five-match series 2–1. South Africa can only draw the series from here.
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