Huge Rush at Barabati as T20 Ticket Sales Begin
Cuttack: Offline ticket sales for the India–South Africa T20 match at Barabati Stadium began on Friday amid an overwhelming rush of cricket fans. Although the counters were scheduled to open at 9 am, the sale started an hour late at 10 am, causing restlessness among spectators who had been waiting in long queues since the previous night.
Large crowds gathered outside the stadium from Thursday night, with fans arriving from various parts of Odisha and neighbouring states to secure seats for the December 9 match. Despite the cold weather, the number of people kept increasing through the night as they waited for the barricades to open.
Police personnel faced difficulties controlling the crowd even before the sales began. To support women spectators, a special counter has been set up exclusively for them. Authorities have also arranged the ticket counters strategically: Counter No. 1 near Horse Gate is designated for high-value tickets, while Counters No. 2 and 3 near the Sachin Tendulkar Indoor Hall are meant for general ticket sales.
Offline ticket sales will continue on December 5 and 6, from 9 am to 6 pm. Each person can purchase up to two tickets by presenting a valid ID. Ticket prices range from ₹700 for Gallery 7 to ₹20,000 for the Corporate Box, with rates for other galleries and enclosures varying between ₹900 and ₹10,000.
To streamline crowd movement, authorities have introduced a redesigned layout outside the counters. Iron barricades have been placed in a serpentine pattern to manage long queues and minimize confusion. Separate entry and exit routes have also been created near the Cricket Academy to ensure smoother movement of people.
In addition, police have deployed personnel in plain clothes around the stadium to curb black-marketing of tickets. CCTV surveillance has been increased to monitor crowd behaviour and support enforcement teams. Officials have warned that strict action will be taken against anyone caught attempting illegal resale or disrupting the ticket sale process.
