New Delhi [India], December 18 (ANI): Rajeev Shukla, the Vice-President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and a Congress leader, said that the spectators of the India vs South Africa 4th T20I at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow will get their money back after the match was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to excessive fog on Wednesday.

Shukla, while speaking to ANI, said that since no ball was bowled in the abandoned Lucknow T20 due to fog, spectators will receive a full refund, and the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) has already begun the refund process.

'As far as the Lucknow match that was cancelled is concerned, it is clear that if not even a single ball is bowled in any match, the money will be refunded. We are in touch with the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), they have initiated the process of refunding the money. The spectators will get their money back,' said Rajeev Shukla.

The Lucknow match was scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST on December 17, with the toss scheduled for 7:00 PM IST. However, after six separate inspections, the umpires remained unconvinced that conditions were suitable for play and eventually abandoned the match without a single ball being bowled. The final inspection took place at 9:25 PM IST.

The fifth and final T20I between the two countries will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on December 19.

Ahead of the fourth T20I, Indian all-rounder Axar Patel was ruled out of the remaining T20I series against South Africa due to illness, the BCCI said on December 15.

In place of Axar Patel, the BCCI Men's Selection Committee named Shahbaz Ahmed as his replacement for the remaining T20I matches against South Africa. (ANI)