In a night of immense disappointment for cricket lovers, the fourth T20 International between India and South Africa at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium was abandoned without a ball being bowled. The culprit was an unrelenting blanket of dense fog that refused to lift, forcing match officials to call off the game after repeated inspections.
Fans' Long Journeys End in Heartbreak
The stadium, usually buzzing with excitement, was instead filled with the quiet despair of thousands of fans wrapped in winter wear. Among them was Yashwardhan Singh, a devoted fan of Suryakumar Yadav, who had made a special trip from Samastipur in Bihar just to watch his hero play. "I came here to watch SKY, my favourite player, in action, but what can be done when weather conditions get unfavourable," he said, summing up the helplessness felt by all.
His sentiment was echoed by Bhim Singh Shekhawat, who had travelled from Nepal hoping to see explosive innings from young batter Abhishek Sharma. The disappointment was palpable in the stands as the thick white fog persisted well past the prime time for the match to begin.
A Night of Frustrating Waits and Difficult Journeys
The ordeal for fans began much before the official cancellation. Waqas Khan drove for nearly five hours from Pilibhit, battling dense fog and long traffic queues on Sultanpur Road, only to be met with further waiting. "The journey itself was difficult. We waited, but the fog won," he stated.
The financial sacrifice was even more stark for another unnamed fan, who revealed, "I sold three sacks of wheat to come here to watch the match. I want my money back." As temperatures hovered around 15 degrees Celsius, fans watched as umpires conducted a series of ground inspections starting from the scheduled toss time of 6:30 PM, with subsequent checks at 7 PM, 7:30 PM, 8 PM, 8:30 PM, and finally at 9:25 PM, when the inevitable call was made.
Familiar Faces in the Crowd
The muted stadium also hosted several well-known superfans who had gathered with their flags, hoping for a miracle. Faces like Sudhir Kumar from Bihar, Rambabu from Chandigarh, Rambabu Yadav from Lucknow, and Manmohan from Rajasthan were present, adding to the sombre atmosphere of unmet expectations.
Aftermath and Refund Assurance
As the fog finally began to clear later in the night, the stands had already emptied, leaving behind only echoes of what could have been. Addressing the financial concern of spectators, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) issued an assurance. A senior UPCA official confirmed that the refund process for tickets would be initiated promptly. "Counters will be opened for box office purchases, and online refunds will be initiated for digital transactions," the official said, providing some solace to the heartbroken fans.
