TNCA administrator explains ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 tickets scenario with Ravi Ashwin

TNCA administrator explained ICC Cricket World Cup tickets plan along with Indian off-spinner Ravi Ashwin

The 13th edition of ICC Cricket World Cup will be played in India from October 5–11. The tournament will be played across 12 venues in India. 10 stadiums have been chosen to host the main event matches, while two are reserved only for the warm-up matches. Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium will host three main event games along with warm-up matches as well. Indian team will open their campaign against Australia at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on October 8. Indian off-spinner Ravi Ashwin paid a visit to his home in Chennai and had a detailed discussion about the ticketing details.

Ravi Ashwin went to Chepauk to see the preparations for the upcoming World Cup games. Ravi Ashwin had a chat with Tamil Nadu Cricket Association treasurer T.R. Srinivasraj about all the details of how tickets are decided during an international game at Chepauk Stadium. Srinivasraj explained, "We don’t have a big capacity, but unlike Chepauk, there are big capacity grounds like Eden Gardens and even Ahmedabad with more than 1 lakh, or 80–90,000 capacity. So they largely satisfy their crowd, but the problem here is that we have only 30,000 capacity and cannot extend."

What is Seat Killing?

TNCA treasurer also informed Ashwin that ground does not sell capacity tickets, as a few of them also go to seat killing. T.R. Srinivasraj further explained the concept of seat killing, "The capacity of Chepauk around is 38,000, and 5000–6000 goes to seat killing. Seat killing means you have reserved space for the sight screen; we have media boxes; and we have cameras where people cannot occupy seats. If there is any movement, players will find it difficult and stop. So we don’t have that problem. The entire house goes for the toss. Though it is available, we cannot use it."

How Tickets go for sale?

Explaining the selling window, the TNCA treasurer said, "We have 33–34000 seats to sell, so we sell it online and we sell it on the counter also, depending upon how it goes. Based on BCCI norms, we have to issue tickets to the public at the counter and online. Apart from that, we have certain commitments to government officers and agencies. All those things we have to take care of... So basically, whoever comes first will get it. You only get two tickets per person." Chennai will be hosting five games in the World Cup, India vs Australia, South Africa vs Pakistan, and Pakistan vs Afghanistan are the big games scheduled to be played at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.