The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) has taken a fan-friendly step by announcing a complete refund for all tickets purchased for the fourth T20 International between India and South Africa, which was called off due to persistent fog in Lucknow. The unprecedented weather disruption left spectators disappointed after hours of waiting, prompting the cricket body to issue reimbursements.
Refund Process: Online and Offline Details
For spectators who booked their tickets online, the refund will be automatically processed through their original payment method. Notifications regarding the refund status will be sent to the registered email addresses linked to the bookings. The UPCA secretary, Prem Manohar Gupta, advised ticket holders to monitor their email inboxes regularly for updates.
Fans who purchased physical tickets offline have been provided a specific window to claim their money back. They can visit the box office at Gate No. 2 of the Ekana Cricket Stadium on December 20, 21, and 22, between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm. The association has outlined a verification procedure to ensure a smooth process.
Documents Required for Offline Refund
Offline ticket holders must be present in person and are required to carry specific documents for verification. The mandatory items include:
- The original physical ticket.
- A copy of a Government-issued ID proof.
- Personal bank account details for the transfer.
At the counter, fans will need to fill out a refund form with accurate information. Only after successful verification of the submitted documents and the original ticket will the refund be initiated. The amount will then be transferred directly to the bank account provided in the form.
The Fog-Marred Evening at Ekana Stadium
The match faced uncertainty from the very beginning. The toss, originally scheduled for 6:30 PM, was repeatedly delayed as officials conducted multiple inspections of the playing conditions from 7:00 PM onwards. Despite the efforts, excessive fog and poor visibility led to the match being officially abandoned around 9:30 PM, after six separate inspections by the match officials.
Commentator and former Indian batter Robin Uthappa described the decision to delay the toss as "counter-intuitive," noting that visibility was likely to worsen as temperatures dropped below 15 degrees Celsius. The dedicated crowd had waited for over five hours after the gates opened, only to be met with the disappointing announcement.
Air quality readings around the stadium added context to the evening's conditions. While Lucknow's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 4 PM was recorded at 171 (moderate), the station near Gomti Nagar showed an AQI of 139 at 7 PM. However, some private monitoring websites reported significantly higher readings of up to 350 by 9 PM, with particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) being the primary pollutants.
A Proactive Move by UPCA
This refund initiative by the UPCA is seen as a responsible move to address the inconvenience caused to thousands of cricket enthusiasts. By providing clear instructions for both online and offline refunds, the association aims to ensure that all affected fans are compensated fairly for the abandoned fixture. The decision underscores the importance of fan support in the sport and sets a positive precedent for handling similar unforeseen circumstances in the future.
