AHMEDABAD: Ticket prices for Sunday’s Twenty20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand have soared on the black market, with fans shelling out more than 15 times the original rate as demand overwhelmed supply ahead of the title clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Official tickets, starting at INR 2,000 ($21.76), sold out within minutes online, prompting thousands of fans to turn to unofficial routes.
Some tickets with a face value of INR 3,500 were selling at 54,000 when Reuters checked on the eve of the match.
Scalpers have seized control of the resale market, pushing prices far beyond face value as supporters scrambled for a seat to witness India’s bid for back-to-back titles at the world’s largest cricket stadium, where more than 100,000 predominantly home fans are expected to turn up.
“I’ve paid INR 35,000 for a 3,000-rupee ticket because I couldn’t get through the waiting list,” said a businessman from Mumbai requesting anonymity.
“There are specific WhatsApp groups for reselling tickets. You only get added if you’re serious, and it works strictly on advance payment, so buyers don’t back out.”
Ahmedabad police arrested a youth for reselling tickets at an inflated rate, local media reported.
“The situation is not new to us. We paid exorbitant prices even during the 2023 ODI World Cup,” said a Delhi resident.
Price has also ballooned on online resale platforms of tickets, starting at INR 11,000.
The price hikes have become a nightmare for the fans who cannot afford inflated rates and risk becoming prey for scammers.
The Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) said it had no knowledge of what was going on outside.
“Bookings happen only through the BookMyShow app. The cricket association does not sell any physical tickets,” GCA secretary Anil Patel told Reuters by telephone.
The International Cricket Council did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Ahmedabad’s hotel prices have also skyrocketed at least 10 times to cash in on the cricket hysteria.
Properties near the venue were fully booked despite the price hike.
Budget hotels along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway and in nearby Gandhinagar, which usually charge INR 4,000 per night, were demanding rates of 40,000.
“This is our peak time to earn profits as a large number of people come to watch the match,” a local hotel owner said.
Another hotel owner said the rush would have been a lot less had India not qualified for the final.
