“The responsibility lies with…”: BCCI issues statement on refund demands after Lucknow T20I
Published - 18 Dec 2025, 05:16 PM | Updated - 18 Dec 2025, 05:19 PM
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued an official statement on the fourth T20I match between India and South Africa, which was abandoned because of heavy fog in Lucknow. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) is responsible for handling ticket refunds.
Heavy fog forced the abandonment of the fourth T20I between India and South Africa at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, December 17. With no result, the Men in Blue are 2-1 ahead in the series, which will be decided in the fifth and final match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on December 19.
Fog Forces Abandonment of Fourth T20I in Lucknow
The fourth T20I in Lucknow was delayed for several hours because of poor visibility caused by fog. The toss was supposed to take place at 6:30 pm, but it did not happen as conditions were unsafe. Umpires carried out multiple inspections throughout the evening to check if play could begin.
Checks were done at regular intervals, but visibility did not improve at any stage. After repeated inspections failed to produce a positive result, officials finally abandoned the match at 9:30 pm. No ball was bowled during the game.
With the match called off, India are 2-1 ahead in the five-match series. The abandonment has raised questions about scheduling international matches during winter. Notably, India are set to host the T20 World Cup next year in February-March.
Everything in Ticketing Is Done by the State Association - BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia
Fans who had bought tickets were left without any play. Many spectators are now looking for clarity on whether they will get their money back.
Devajit Saikia explained that refund decisions do not come under the board’s direct control. He said that the entire ticketing process, including refunds, is handled by the host association.
“That is under the domain of the state cricket association, which is UPCA. So, this game’s hosting state is the UPCA. So, they will be able to tell you about this, and they are the competent authority," Saikia was quoted as saying to IANS on Thursday.
"Everything in ticketing is done by the state association, as the BCCI just gives them the hosting rights and all these things are taken care of and are under the domain of the state association," he added.
It Is a Solitary Weather Situation - Devajit Saikia
Hardik Pandya was seen wearing a mask on the field as fog and poor air quality worsened. The situation highlighted long-standing concerns about hosting matches in North India during winter, though officials described the abandonment as an unusual case rather than a regular problem.
“No, it is a solitary weather situation. Normally we have this kind of weather in the month of January. This time it is quite early, number one, and number two, we had a match in Dharamsala also the other day. Dharamsala is a much colder place. So you cannot predict fog, and rain. Nowadays cricket is a throughout the year annual event for 12, and we have to have the matches."
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BCCI Devajit Saikia Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association India National Cricket Team India vs South Africa South Africa vs India South Africa National Cricket TeamAbout the Author
Sai Vaitla is an author at Cricketaddictor and he has been working since September 2022. Sai Vaitla...
