Ranchi, November 24 (UNI) As city prepares to host the much-awaited One Day International (ODI) between India and South Africa on November 30, an extraordinary wave of excitement has swept across the city.
Cricket enthusiasts thronged the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) Stadium on Tuesday, with thousands gathering hours before the start of ticket sales.
Despite ticket counters opening at 9 a.m., fans began arriving late on Monday night itself, hoping to secure their seats before stocks ran out. By early morning, long queues had formed around the stadium.
To manage the heavy demand, JSCA set up six ticket counters near the stadium’s West Gate. Aadhaar card has been made mandatory for purchasing tickets, and each person is allowed to buy a maximum of two tickets.
A dedicated counter has been arranged for women spectators, while two counters are designated for distributing tickets to those who booked online. The remaining three counters are for general offline sales.
As the morning progressed, the crowd multiplied rapidly. By around 7 a.m., the rush grew so intense that additional police personnel had to be deployed to maintain order. The entire stadium area echoed with a festive, cricket-filled atmosphere as fans waited eagerly for their turn.
The district administration has implemented stringent security arrangements. Additional police forces have been posted in and around the stadium, barricades have been placed for crowd control, and parking zones and entry points are being closely monitored. Police teams are continuously engaged in regulating queues and ensuring smooth operations.
According to stadium officials, a large portion of the tickets had already been sold online, and only a limited number were being made available at offline counters. The ODI has generated special excitement among fans, as Ranchi is hosting a one-day international after a considerable gap.
JSCA Vice President Sanjay Pandey said that all preparations for ticket sales had been completed well in advance.
He added that strict measures have been taken to prevent any kind of stampede or untoward incident. Special monitoring teams have also been deployed to curb black marketing of tickets.
Any tickets seized from persons involved in illegal resale will be immediately cancelled, he confirmed.
Pandey assured that an adequate number of tickets are available and urged spectators to follow the queue system to receive them without any inconvenience.
