Published: Jul 13, 2019, 10:17 AM (IST)
Edited: Jul 13, 2019, 10:18 AM (IST)
ICC has warned cricket fans who are buying or bought tickets to ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 at Lord’s on July 14, which now has been confirmed between hosts England and 2015 WC finalists New Zealand, against paying thousands of pounds on secondary ticket websites.
According to an report in AFP, The cost of many of the tickets exceed £1,000 (INR 83,000 approx.) while some are upwards of £5,000 (INR 3,86,000 approx.). The International Cricket Council reiterated its stance that it is “actively monitoring and taking action” against those trying to sell on secondary platforms.
Cricket’s governing body warned it can “cancel the accounts and tickets we see being sold on secondary sites” and that the only way supporters can guarantee a ticket is through the official resale site.
But, as per a report in The News Indian Express, in secondary websites the tickets prices had gone upwards of INR 13 lakh, partly because of the Indian fans, who were vying for ticket with a certainty that India will make it to the final at Lord’s on Sunday.
The report further adds that even though ICC is monitoring this, but whatever the secondary ticketing websites are doing is legal in England. There are agencies that buy tickets and sell them for exaggerated prices. The ICC has made the World Cup an event where this is illegal, but with many Indians among the buyers when tickets went on sale, the now have sold their tickets following India’s defeat, and these tickets have made their way to the companies who have the secondary website selling those tickets at higher prices.
The ticketing issue seems to have hit the players from both New Zealand and England, who will feature in the final. NZ allrounde Jimmy Neesham took to twitter, requesting Indian fans to resell their tickets on via the official platforms only, thus giving “all genuine cricket fans a chance to go, not just the wealthy”.
Dear Indian cricket fans. If you don’t want to come to the final anymore then please be kind and resell your tickets via the official platform. I know it’s tempting to try to make a large profit but please give all genuine cricket fans a chance to go, not just the wealthy ❤️ 🏏
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) July 12, 2019
Steve Elworthy, managing director of the WC, was quoted by a daily as saying that steps would be taken to curb this. “We will cancel the accounts and tickets we see being sold on secondary sites.” Saying that ICC may not be able to do much about it. “Lack of legislation in the UK means we are restricted in the preventive action we can take,” Elworthy told the same daily.
