A thick blanket of smog forced the abandonment of the India-South Africa T20I in Lucknow, prompting the BCCI to reconsider winter scheduling in North India. Vice-president Rajeev Shukla called the air pollution an "emergency," signaling a potential policy shift. Concerns over player safety and hazardous AQI levels led to the match's cancellation, with a series decider now set for Ahmedabad.