Fans Cause Chaos in Ticket Rush for India-SA T20 in Cuttack

Thousands of cricket fans gathered outside Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha, on Friday morning, creating chaotic scenes as they rushed to buy offline tickets for the upcoming India-South Africa first T20 international match scheduled for December 9. The overwhelming demand led to stampede-like conditions, prompting police to use mild lathicharge to restore order, though no serious injuries were reported.

Ticket sales for the general public began at 9 a.m., but fans defied authorities' instructions by forming queues as early as midnight, despite rules prohibiting overnight waiting and allowing lines only from 6 a.m. Eyewitness accounts and videos circulating on social media captured long lines spilling onto surrounding roads, with crowds pushing through barricades and shouting in their eagerness to secure entry to the 41,000-seat venue. Officials noted that most seats were reserved as passes for VIPs, leaving limited availability for online and offline sales, which fueled the frenzy. "Fans left struggling," one local observer remarked on social media, highlighting the disparity between high demand and restricted access.

The incident underscores the intense anticipation...