Tickets sold out on Day I itself, fans gather outside Barabati with hope and a prayer, return home empty-handed
Cuttack: Ticket aspirants flocked Barabati Stadium on Thursday with a hope of laying their hands on the elusive entry pass to the ground for the India-England ODI on Feb 9, unaware that all 11,080 offline tickets for the general public had been sold out a day earlier.
The situation led to chaos, prompting police intervention to disperse the crowd. Despite the OCA’s announcement that ticket sales concluded on Wednesday, many fans, still eager for a chance to buy tickets, flocked the counters from early in the morning. As the crowd swelled, tension rose, and police had to step in to control the situation.
Disappointed fans expressed frustration, with some blaming lack of information and others hoping for last-minute availability. “I came from Bhadrak early in the morning, thinking I could buy a ticket. I didn’t know they were already sold out. It’s heartbreaking, as two days had been scheduled for the sale of tickets,” said Sandeep Mohanty, a cricket enthusiast.
“We urged the OCA to reconsider its ticket distribution strategy. There should be better communication and a fair chance for everyone. More offline tickets should be available so that real fans, not just online buyers, can attend the match,” said Subarna Das, a resident from Niali area, who was standing at the ticket counter.
As the crowd grew restless, security personnel had to take action. “We had to deploy forces to manage the situation and clear the area. People were requested to leave peacefully, and a team along with Cantonment IIC Jatin Sethi was engaged to carry out the work,” said Jagmohan Meena, DCP, Cuttack.
“We understand the excitement among fans, but we had clearly stated that ticket sales were only on Feb 5 and 6. Unfortunately, no additional tickets are available; all 11,080 tickets were sold out on the first day of sale,” said Sanjay Behera, secretary, OCA.
With Barabati Stadium set to host the high-profile match on Feb 9, all eyes are now on India and England, while fans without tickets will have to settle for cheering from home.
The situation led to chaos, prompting police intervention to disperse the crowd. Despite the OCA’s announcement that ticket sales concluded on Wednesday, many fans, still eager for a chance to buy tickets, flocked the counters from early in the morning. As the crowd swelled, tension rose, and police had to step in to control the situation.
Disappointed fans expressed frustration, with some blaming lack of information and others hoping for last-minute availability. “I came from Bhadrak early in the morning, thinking I could buy a ticket. I didn’t know they were already sold out. It’s heartbreaking, as two days had been scheduled for the sale of tickets,” said Sandeep Mohanty, a cricket enthusiast.
“We urged the OCA to reconsider its ticket distribution strategy. There should be better communication and a fair chance for everyone. More offline tickets should be available so that real fans, not just online buyers, can attend the match,” said Subarna Das, a resident from Niali area, who was standing at the ticket counter.
As the crowd grew restless, security personnel had to take action. “We had to deploy forces to manage the situation and clear the area. People were requested to leave peacefully, and a team along with Cantonment IIC Jatin Sethi was engaged to carry out the work,” said Jagmohan Meena, DCP, Cuttack.
“We understand the excitement among fans, but we had clearly stated that ticket sales were only on Feb 5 and 6. Unfortunately, no additional tickets are available; all 11,080 tickets were sold out on the first day of sale,” said Sanjay Behera, secretary, OCA.
With Barabati Stadium set to host the high-profile match on Feb 9, all eyes are now on India and England, while fans without tickets will have to settle for cheering from home.
