Tension arises at Barabati Stadium ahead of India v Sri Lanka T20I clash

Following the culmination of the ODI series, India will take on Sri Lanka for three T20I matches. After defeating the Islanders in both the Test and ODI leg of the series. The Men in Blue will aim to extend their dominion and end this tour on a high before their all-important tour of South Africa, that kicks off in January next year. The first T20I is scheduled to take place at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, on December 20.

However, much to the demise of the cricket fans, the tickets for the match remained unavailable, after alleged irregularities in the sale of tickets. The Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) had declared that gallery ticket would be sold to the public on Saturday and Sunday. And the news about non-availability of tickets at the counters was delivered too late by the officials.

Soon after the news broke, the fans were left infuriated and went berserk. While some broke the barricades, a few of them also pelted stones at the closed ticket counters. Police eventually had to rush to the spot and bring the situation under control.

Deepak Samal of Asureswar in Cuttack who tried to buy a ticket for two days and failed said they were told that the tickets would be sold till 6 pm. “The OCA authorities had decided to sell tickets on December 16 and 17. Then how and why they changed the decision and sold all tickets on the first day itself?” Samal was quoted as saying by the New Indian Express.

“After failing to get the ticket from the counter, I bought one paying `2000 from black market while its actual rate is ‘600,” he added.

Security beefed up

The Police have beefed up security in the twin city ahead of the T20I clash. Cuttack DCP Akhileswar Singh revealed that 63 platoons of the police force have been deployed throughout the city along with 200 home guards, 180 officers, and cops in plain clothes, who are keeping a check near the counters of the Stadium to prevent black-marketing of tickets by the miscreants.