 "India vs South Africa 5th T20 will be played amid 'Unhealthy' AQI in Ahmedabad. Image: PTI")
The India vs South Africa bandwagon has moved to Ahmedabad for the fifth and final T20 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on 19 December (Friday). The fans would hope to finally see some cricketing action after the 4th T20 was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Lucknow due to “excessive fog.”
India lead the five-match series 2-1, and with just one match left, the danger of them losing a T20 series at home is beyond them. South Africa, however, can still lose the series. The Proteas would hope to win the final match and draw the series 2-2 against the world champions. Having already won the Test series 2-0, it would be a massive result for the South Africans.
India vs South Africa, 5th T20I LIVE Score
Ahmedabad weather forecast, AQI report
Meanwhile, the good news for fans is that there are no chances of rain in Ahmedabad on 19 December (Friday). Being situated in the western part of India, the temperatures in Ahmedabad would be well above what they were in Lucknow. The match starts at 7 PM IST, and the temperatures in Ahmedabad during that time are expected be around 26-21 Degrees Celsius.
The AccuWeather website predicts clear skies at night, which means the match should go as planned and fog or smog should not be a problem. However, air quality would definitely be a problem. At 12 PM IST on 19 December (Friday), the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Ahmedabad was 155, which falls in the “Unhealthy” category.
According to the website AQI.IN, breathing in 155 AQI is akin to smoking three cigarettes a day. It creates high chances of asthma and outdoor activities are strictly prohibited. However, the chances of the match getting called off due to poor AQI are very low.
Narendra Modi Stadium pitch report
The pitches for T20s in Narendra Modi Stadium at Ahmedabad have always been batting-friendly. The pitches at the Narendra Modi Stadium generally offer nice carry and bounce, which makes it easy for stroke play.
Despite the stadium having long boundaries, the gaps in the field and the true nature of the tracks should assist the big-hitters to play their strikes and we can expect a high-scoring match. But due to the threat of dew, the team winning the toss may bowl first.