If you are affluent, powerful or privileged enough to lay your hand on a ticket or a complimentary pass to watch the forthcoming T-20 cricket match between India and West Indies at the Barabati Stadium here on October 22 from a VIP enclosure then be prepared to do so wearing a wrist band throughout.
Yes, that’s what the mandarins of organiser Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) are planning to do to get rid of the gatecrashers from grabbing the complimentary dinner. Along with the tickets and passes for these special enclosures, the OCA has planned to issue a wrist band so as to keep the gatecrashers at bay.
“We are introducing this for the first time as it was necessitated to separate the chafe from the grain,” said OCA secretary Asirbad Behera, adding that an occupant of the special enclosures should put the wrist band on as long as he is inside. Complimentary dinner would be provided to them, who have the OCA band on wrist, he said.
Briefing newsmen about the match on Friday, Behera said ticket prices for the T-20 match have been slashed than they were fixed for last year’s ODI with Australia, which was washed out due to bad weather. While online ticket sales for the match had begun for over a week now, the counter sale of them would begin from October 16.
The OCA secretary informed that the association was richer by Rs 3.9 crore due to the abandoned match last year as the same was insured for Rs five crore for special contingency insurance policy. This year too, the OCA is planning to insure the match for a whopping Rs 20 crore under three heads.
“But there has been no taker till date for the October 22 match as insurance companies have not evinced interest in view of the severe Cyclone Hudhud likely to play spoilsport,” the OCA secretary said, hoping that the match would be played as scheduled as adequate facilities are in place to drain out water from the field in case of heavy rains.