Ahmedabad diary: Price tag of resale tickets, few nights’ stay go for a six

It would almost seem like business as usual in the run-up to what will be Ahmedabad’s second ICC World Cup final in little over two years – with all signs of cricket fever focused solely near the Narendra Modi Stadium. However, the practice of hotels – from luxury to budget ones, and homestays – trying to make a killing, not to mention the widespread black marketing of tickets on resale, has proven to be quite a headache.

For those who visited Gujarat’s capital for the marquee India-Pakistan game and the final of the 2023 ICC World Cup, there were some outrageous stories of fans being charged exorbitantly to catch those games. This time around, the buzz is perhaps a little lower, with the Men in Blue going through a turbulent campaign before securing their place in the final last Thursday, but the T20 fever is as intense, if not more.

While insiders from the hotel industry say it’s not unusual for single-night tariffs to rise by at least 20 per cent, there are reports of rates increasing by 100 per cent, with rooms normally priced around Rs 4,000 being sold for Rs 40,000. Several private accommodations in the Motera area – where the venue is located – are also capitalizing on the frenzy.

A report in the TOI Ahmedabad edition says rooms that typically cost around Rs 2,000 per night are now going for over Rs 20,000. Some online booking platforms are advertising rooms for Rs 21,942, with a 50% advance payment required and no refunds.

Meanwhile, local police cracked down on complaints of ticket resale at huge prices and counterfeit online tickets, arresting five people, including youngsters, involved in the racket. It’s almost a throwback to the last 50-over World Cup, when official tickets, starting at Rs 2,000 on BookMyShow, sold out within minutes – prompting desperate fans to turn to unofficial routes like private scalpers and WhatsApp groups, paying exorbitant prices for three and a half hours of entertainment.

Some tickets worth Rs 3,500 were reportedly being sold for as much as Rs 54,000, leaving the local host association at a loss over how to stop it. “Bookings happen only through official agents and the BookMyShow app. We don’t sell any physical tickets,” a senior Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) official said when queried.

Not to be left behind in cashing in on the frenzy, airlines are also joining the bandwagon. Indigo is operating extra flights – mainly from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad – while Akasa Airlines has introduced a match-day flight between Mumbai and Ahmedabad on Sunday morning, with return in the early hours of Monday.

Where does this leave the ordinary cricket fan without deep pockets? It’s anybody’s guess!