Enthusiasm for fast-paced T20 cricket is soaring among fans, with just three days left until spectators can witness the live action at Barabati Stadium. The excitement reached fever pitch as all offline tickets for the India vs South Africa T20 match sold out in a single day, leaving no room for last-minute buyers.
On Friday, an announcement was made for the sale of 10,000 counter tickets at the box office. Although scheduled to start at 9 AM, the counters opened an hour late. Despite this delay, cricket enthusiasts remained undeterred.
The counters were initially set to close at 6 PM, but to accommodate the waiting crowds behind the barricades, operations were extended by another hour. By around 7 PM, police confirmed that all tickets had been sold out.
Ticket sales ran from 10 AM to 7 PM across five counters: three dedicated to men and two for women. The men’s counters exhausted their stock by 6:30 PM, followed shortly by the women’s. Meanwhile, those who booked tickets online in advance can collect their hard copies on December 8 and 9 at a special counter set up at Cambridge School, upon presenting their booking confirmation.
With ticket sales now complete for the high-stakes India-South Africa T20 clash, all eyes are on the upcoming match. This time, offline sales were handled through five counters. Three were located near the Electricity Department office for gallery and special enclosure tickets, while pricier tickets were sold near the Harsha Gate.
Last year’s ticket sales had been marred by several glitches, prompting the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and police to implement special plans for improvement. These efforts proved successful. For the first time, serpentine (zigzag) barricades were used, making it difficult for queue-jumpers to disrupt the lines. Additionally, bouncers were deployed in front of the box office for the first time, with 4 to 6 stationed at each counter. This deterred any attempts at creating chaos.
Before the counters opened, around 9 AM, some pushing and shoving occurred among fans, leading to an unpleasant situation. Police responded with a mild lathi charge to restore order. During the day, several differently-abled individuals faced challenges in the long queues and were unable to purchase tickets initially.
Noticing this, the Commissionerate Police and OCA discussed the issue and arranged special ticket sales for them. Under the supervision of Additional DCP Amarendra Panda, tickets were sold to the persons with disability.
