IND v ENG In Cuttack: We Have Asked OCA To Reconsider Ticket Prices, Says Suryabanshi Suraj

Cuttack, Nov 19: Odisha Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj Tuesday said that the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has been asked to reconsider ticket prices for the forthcoming ODI between India and England here.

The second ODI of the three-match series between India and England will be played at the iconic Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, February 9, 2025. The Barabati Stadium, which has a total seating capacity of 44,524, will host an ODI after a gap of seven years.

The state cricket body -- OCA -- had announced the ticket prices November 3. As per the OCA release, the ticket price has been fixed between Rs 800 and Rs 20,000.

The ticket price for gallery No. 1, 3 and 6 will be Rs 1,200, while the ticket price has been fixed at Rs 1,000 for gallery No. 2 and 4. Fans will have to pay Rs 1,500 for a seat in gallery No. 5. The gallery No. 7 carries a ticket price of Rs 800 per person -- lowest in the stadium.

Fans will have to pay Rs 7,000 for the special enclosure, Rs 9,000 for AC gallery box and Rs 10,000 for AC box. The corporate box carries a price of Rs 20,000 per person.

Fans expressed disappointment over the significant increase in ticket prices at a venue, which has waited for a long time to host an ODI.

Speaking on this issue, Surabanshi Suraj said that the OCA has been asked to reconsider the ticket prices to attract more spectators.

"We have asked the OCA to reconsider the price bracket. The pricing has drawn criticism from the fans, who are eagerly waiting for the match," said the Sports Minister in a meeting.

Besides the Suraj, Cuttack Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, sports department officials and OCA staff were present at the meeting.

Suraj said that the meeting was more of a discussion over the smooth conduct of the match. "We are aiming to attract more spectators compared to previous matches at the venue. We have also discussed about how more people can get tickets from the counter," said the Sports Minister.

Suryabanshi Suraj also shared that plans have been laid to reduce, as much as possible, the tickets' black-marketing. Tickets being sold on black has been quite frequent on previous occasions.