IND vs WI Ranchi T20: Ticket black marketing allegations spark row, Babulal Marandi seeks action

THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK

Ranchi, October 7: Allegations of black marketing of tickets for the India-West Indies T20 International in Ranchi have triggered a controversy ahead of the October 9 match at the JSCA International Stadium, with Jharkhand Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi accusing the authorities of failing to check the alleged resale of tickets at inflated prices.

The controversy has also been fuelled by reports in Hindi newspapers, including a Dainik Bhaskar sting report, as well as reports by other media outlets, which have alleged that tickets were being offered outside the stadium at prices substantially higher than their printed value.

Marandi Alleges Tickets Being Bought Through Labourers and Resold

Marandi raised the issue on social media platform X after sharing a video purportedly showing people selling tickets outside the JSCA stadium.

He alleged that daily-wage workers, reza-kulis and other economically vulnerable people were being made to stand in queues to purchase tickets and that the tickets were subsequently being resold at double or triple their original prices.

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Marandi questioned how such alleged activity could take place despite the large police and administrative presence around the stadium.

According to reports quoting his statement, he described the alleged practice as an attack on the rights of genuine cricket fans and demanded action against those involved.

Dainik Bhaskar Sting Report Raises Questions

A Dainik Bhaskar sting report, as cited in subsequent online reports, has added another dimension to the controversy by claiming that tickets were being offered for resale at substantially higher prices.

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Reports referring to the Bhaskar sting said that a ticket with a printed price of ₹2,000 was being offered for ₹4,000, while a ₹1,600 ticket was allegedly being offered for ₹3,200.

These figures are broadly in line with separate ground reports from the stadium area, which have also reported attempts to sell tickets at around twice their official prices.

However, the sting report and the allegations emerging from it should be treated as reports of alleged ticket resale rather than proof of an organised racket unless the claims are independently established by the police, JSCA or another competent authority.

Ground Reports Also Point to Resale Attempts

A separate report from the stadium area reported that people were allegedly attempting to sell four tickets priced at ₹2,000 each for ₹16,000 in total—effectively doubling the face value.

The same report said tickets priced at ₹2,500 were allegedly being offered for ₹5,000 each.

It also reported that some people in queues alleged that touts were paying children and women to stand in line and purchase additional tickets, which were subsequently offered for resale outside the stadium. These allegations have not been independently established by the authorities.

Online Tickets Sold Out in Minutes

The controversy comes amid exceptionally high demand for the Ranchi T20.

According to reports, around 4,022 tickets sold online were snapped up within 17 minutes of the online sale opening. A further 4,011 tickets were reportedly sold through counters on the first day, taking the reported first-day sales to 8,033 tickets.

Long queues were subsequently witnessed outside the stadium, with fans reportedly arriving several hours before the counters opened. Police had to intervene to manage the crowds on at least one occasion.

Official Ticket Prices Range from ₹1,600 to ₹18,000

The reported allegations have to be viewed against the official ticket structure for the Ranchi match.

Reports say the cheapest general ticket is priced at ₹1,600, while ticket categories go up to ₹18,000. The official pricing varies according to the enclosure and category.

This distinction is important because a ticket being sold for ₹8,000 or ₹16,000 is not necessarily evidence of black marketing if it belongs to a legitimately priced premium category. The controversy specifically concerns allegations that tickets of lower face value were being resold at higher prices.

Fake Tickets Also Add to Concern

Another issue reported ahead of the match is the circulation of what has been described as a fake JSCA match ticket on social media.

According to a report by Prabhat Khabar, JSCA was aware of the viral ticket but had not received the original ticket for verification. The report warned fans about the possibility of cyber fraud and advised them to exercise caution while purchasing tickets online.

Demand for Greater Transparency

The allegations have put the spotlight on the system of ticket distribution for high-profile international matches in Ranchi.

With thousands of fans reportedly spending hours in queues while online tickets disappeared within minutes, questions are being raised over how tickets reach the secondary market and whether the prescribed limits on ticket purchases are being effectively enforced.

The reports of people allegedly using others to stand in queues have further intensified those questions.

At the same time, there is currently no publicly established evidence that the alleged resale represents an organised racket involving JSCA officials or any other institution. The allegations against individuals involved in ticket resale would need to be investigated and verified by the competent authorities.

Match Set for October 9

India will face West Indies in the second T20I of the series at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on October 9.

The extraordinary demand for tickets has also been fuelled by interest in young players, including Bihar batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi, although his appearance in the Ranchi match will depend on the team’s final playing XI.

For the authorities, the immediate challenge is therefore twofold: managing the huge crowd expected around the stadium and ensuring that genuine fans are protected from fraudulent or inflated ticket sales.