On Wednesday, at least ten people lost consciousness when a stampede-like situation occurred at the offline ticket counters outside the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack during the ticket sale for the forthcoming second ODI match between India and England on February 9.
When offline ticket sales began on Wednesday, thousands of cricket fans had gathered outside Barabati to buy tickets from the designated counters. The excitement, however, descended into chaos due to alleged subpar ticket counter management. There were complaints about police being unable to control the crowd and a lack of drinking water to cool off during the sweltering heat.
The two will be playing at the Barabati Stadium after five years. Kohli was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ award for India in their last ODI match against the West Indies in Cuttack in 2019.
When ticket sales started at 9:00 AM Wednesday, attendees started to go completely crazy. The situation deteriorated as word got out about ticket availability, leading to locals complaining about inadequate management. The Odisha Cricket Association criticized several local media reports for its ineffective ticket distribution management.
Under the direction of DCP Jagmohan Meena, the local police quickly assumed control after realizing how serious the situation was. To maintain crowd control and everyone’s safety, multiple police platoons were dispatched. Authorities are currently working to speed up the ticketing process to prevent more disruptions.
To guarantee everyone’s safety, officials have asked supporters to exercise patience and composure when buying tickets. Given that this is Cuttack’s first international match in almost three years—the last being a Twenty20 International against South Africa in 2022—the excitement is understandable.
“The entry and exit of people will be regulated through four designated gates, and security and sanitation personnel will be on duty there,” Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagmohan Meena was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Is Virat Kohli playing in the 2nd ODI against England?
Virat Kohli was ruled out of the first ODI of the series against England due to an injury. India vice captain Shubman Gill eased concerns over a sore knee that kept star batsman Virat Kohli out of the field as he looked forward to the February 9 second ODI against England in Cuttack.
India vs. England pitch report:
In its last three ODIs, Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium—once a slow-ish track—became a batting haven. The average innings score in India’s last three ODIs in Cuttack has been 356. In those three games, bowlers averaged close to forty.
