An Indian family approached this reporter while returning from the India-Bangladesh warm-up game at Cardiff on Tuesday.
Gently introducing themselves, they said they hail from Pune and currently live in Bristol. The family was disappointed that despite taking all the efforts, they were unable to procure tickets for India’s World Cup matches. They requested me to get them a ticket to watch at least a single game involving India. Though I expressed my helplessness, they once again made an earnest request to do something to fulfil their wish before getting down at the Bristol station.
The 12th edition of the ICC World Cup kicked off on Thursday with the match between hosts England and South Africa, but fans are still scrambling to secure tickets for the upcoming matches. Unsurprisingly, there is a huge demand for tickets for matches involving India and England. Tickets for India’s matches are selling like hot cakes and most of the cheaper tickets have already been sold out.
Because of the unprecedented demand, hundreds of cricket lovers, who were looking to grab their tickets in the final phase of sales, have been left disappointed.
According to the UK Visas and Immigration Office, about 1 lakh Indians are expected to arrive in England during the World Cup. It is to be seen how many of them would be able to secure tickets to watch India’s matches in the stadium. Many of the Keralites who arrived in the country to see their favourite Indian stars in action are staying with their relatives and friends in the hope that somehow they would be able to lay hands on a ticket.
The black market trade in World Cup tickets is also said to be thriving. Touts are charging £1,500 (approximately Rs 1,32,000) for a ticket originally priced at £150 for the India-Pakistan match, one of the most anticipated ties in this World Cup. Tickets for the England-Australia encounter at the Lord’s are also available online, but they are sold for a staggering £12,000.
Many who had made online bookings in advance via the official site have been left devastated after being unable to purchase tickets. Fans have already gone online to vent frustration at the sale process. They allege that the ICC could not keep its promise that tickets would be issued to them at least six weeks before each match.
Complaints regarding the non-availability of tickets notwithstanding, it is certain that all the matches would be played at jam-packed stadiums. It’s not for nothing the World Cup is called the pinnacle of the one-day game!
