In the scorching heat of a Wednesday afternoon at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, cricket enthusiasts were gradually filling the west and east stands in anticipation of the World Cup league-stage match between India and Afghanistan.
Although the stadium was already 75% full when the game commenced, the hill stands and terraces had numerous vacant seats. These seats were eventually filled as India secured an impressive eight-wicket victory, drawing nearly 35,000 fans to the stadium, just shy of the official capacity of 37,500.
Ticket sales opened on match day
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However, a perplexing situation unfolded before Wednesday’s clash. On Tuesday, BookMyShow, the official ticketing partner of the tournament, unexpectedly reopened ticket sales for the India-Afghanistan match, even after declaring it as sold out in previous phases.
The news quickly spread on social media, prompting Delhi-based fans to continuously check the website for available tickets to witness the Indian team in action. One such fan, Jayesh, shared his experience: “I managed to secure tickets one day before the game, at 12 pm on October 10. There was no prior announcement from the tournament organizers regarding the ticket sales. I randomly visited the BookMyShow website and found the tickets. This last-minute availability is reminiscent of what happened during the India-Australia game.”
India vs Australia too had a similar situation
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As Jayesh mentioned, a similar scenario occurred in Chennai on October 8 during the highly-anticipated India-Australia clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk. When the toss took place, only a few fans had arrived, while many were still waiting in queues outside. By mid-afternoon, the crowd began to fill up, with an official attendance of 32,531 announced. Oddly, BookMyShow, which had earlier declared the India-Australia game as sold out, discreetly began selling some tickets on the morning of the match.
“I learned about the ticket sales through a Twitter page and managed to purchase tickets on the day of the match. I collected the tickets from the Adidas showroom and entered the stadium at 2:30 p.m. due to the crowded conditions outside. We had to wait for 45 minutes to get inside,” explained a cricket fan in Chennai.
It has been revealed that on certain occasions, tickets initially allocated for sponsors, office-bearers and former players may be released to the general public even after previous ticket sales have concluded.
Cricket fans left disappointed
The reasons behind the last-minute ticket sales in Chennai and New Delhi remain unclear. Notably, the BCCI recently announced the sale of 14,000 tickets for the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash a week before the match on October 14.
Cricket enthusiasts are now left puzzled as to how they can enjoy the World Cup spectacle when tickets become available quietly and at the eleventh hour. One fan expressed disappointment, stating, “This ticketing fiasco has been a very disappointing experience for me as a cricket fan. Better management and proper announcements could have made it more convenient for the audience, especially those travelling from other cities to watch the game.”
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