The euphoria around cricket seems to have died down and so has the fortunes of the people who fattened their purse by black-marketing tickets of all previous event organised at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) stadium at Ranchi.
Ticket touts who minted money at every previous occasion looked helpless and anxious about selling tickets they have purchased from the counter of the stadium anticipating a good response to the Champions league T-20 match which was played on Sunday. “Khaini kha lo yaar (Have tobacco),” said one tout pat relied the other “pahle ticket becho na yaar (Sell the tickets first)”.
Spectators mostly, purchased tickets online and those who purchased it from counter did not face any unpleasant situation like they experienced at India-England match. Students from Indian Institute of Management, Birla Institute of Technology and other institutions purchased the ticket online while people from Bundu, Khijri and adjoining areas of Ranchi bought it from the stadium counter.
“I did not find any ticket tout selling ticket. Tickets are easily available as the turnout appears to be very low,” said Sunjit Kumar Munda, a resident of Bundu.
Resident of Kolkata Amul Kumar Roy, a face painter, also has long face on this occasion. “Today I painted just 20 faces which is ten times less than the number during IPl matches,” said Roy.
The match which has been talked about a lot found only few spectators as empty stands and galleries suggested that cricket lovers prefer to watch the match from home.
“Bahut ticket bacha hua hai. (Rs) 300 ka 500 bhi nahin de raha hai log. (lots of unsold tickets are left. People are not paying even Rs 500 for a ticket,” said another tout.
Meanwhile, the match at the JSCA stadium had to be stopped for about 30 minutes due to tower light malfunction. Only five of a total of six floodlights were working and referee had to stop the match in the eighth over of the second innings between Trinidad &Tobago and Brisbane Hit.