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Regular fans of the Indian cricket team usually don’t complain about match tickets but they are frustrated and angry ahead of the ODI World Cup at home. The fans’ frustration is understandable as the opening match of the World Cup in Ahmedabad on October 5 is almost a month and a half away and tickets are yet to go on sale. Ticket sales for the World Cup will begin with a bang from August 25. The World Cup program was announced at the end of June. Earlier this month, hosts BCCI and the International Cricket Council (ICC) changed the schedule of nine matches. Another change in the schedule is likely as the Hyderabad state unit has called hosting two matches on two consecutive days on October 9 and 10 a troublesome situation.
India co-hosted the 50-over World Cup in 2011, when tickets went on sale in June 2010. This gave fans enough time to plan their travels around the country. The schedule for the last ODI World Cup to be held in England in 2019 was announced more than 12 months in advance, giving fans plenty of time to try their luck with tickets. Delhi’s Atirav Kapoor booked his plane ticket for the most awaited match of the tournament as soon as the schedule was announced in June. As per the earlier schedule, the India-Pakistan match was to be played on October 15 and Atirav made his plans accordingly. Now after the change in the programme, this match will be played a day earlier. Tickets for this match will go on sale from September 3.
Atirav said, “I have spent Rs 40,000 for the Delhi-Ahmedabad flight. Even if I manage to get the tickets online, I have to get there a day in advance to get the original tickets. The cost is already sky high, so I have to spend a lot of money to change my schedule. going to do This is a completely random situation. I remember the 2011 World Cup, when tickets were available months in advance.’ A day’s hotel rent in Ahmedabad has gone up to Rs 50,000 for dates around the India-Pakistan match. The situation is more confusing for fans living outside India.
Rishabh Singhvi, who lives in Singapore, has spent around five lakh rupees on air tickets and hotels. He has to watch three to four matches of India from the stadium. Their plans are also in limbo as there is no guarantee of getting tickets for the match. “I have been planning this for four-five months, but ticket sales haven’t started yet, I don’t know what will happen,” said Singhvi. I have already booked my flights and hotels for all the matches except Kolkata where my family lives. Sales should have been handled better. The official said, “When it comes to timetables and tickets, we have delayed by three-four months. However, I am sure that we will eventually have a successful World Cup. It would have been better if we had given the fans at least six months to plan.