New Delhi: The 2023 World Cup matches in India will require ticket holders to purchase physical tickets and present them at the entry gates of the stadiums, according to Jay Shah, Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who made the announcement on Thursday.

E-tickets will not be accepted during the prestigious 50-over tournament, which is being held exclusively in India for the first time, despite the fact that tickets are being sold online.

The BCCI intends to implement e-tickets for bilateral series first and then explore using them in multi-nation events like the World Cup, Jay Shah explained following a meeting with state cricket associations hosting the World Cup matches.

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E-tickets won't be available for the World Cup, he added. It is anticipated that high-capacity venues like Ahmedabad and Lucknow will have trouble managing e-tickets, forcing the decision to use physical tickets, according to Shah.

Jay Shah said "We are not having e-tickets in the World Cup but we will arrange for the physical tickets to be ready at 7 or 8 spots from a week before the game, it will be very difficult to have e-tickets at big venues". [The Indian Express] pic.twitter.com/qHyZyfWHmI

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 28, 2023

The lack of e-tickets at some venues during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 caused crowding outside the stadiums as fans struggled to get physical copies of their tickets. According to Jay Shah, 7 to 8 redemption centers will be set up to make it easier for fans attending the ODI World Cup to exchange their physical ticket copies.

Cricket fans were not pleased with Shah's announcement because they believed it would only help the black market. Many fans shared their opinions and discomfort regarding the physical tickets on social media.

Jay Shah said "We are not having e-tickets in the World Cup but we will arrange for the physical tickets to be ready at 7 or 8 spots from a week before the game, it will be very difficult to have e-tickets at big venues". [The Indian Express] pic.twitter.com/qHyZyfWHmI

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 28, 2023

And how do people coming in from different cities/countries buy tickets? Come one week in advance?

PATHETIC state of affairs. Who is responsible for this mess? https://t.co/LsORfPJsrS

— Mukund Bubna ???? (@mukund_bubna) July 28, 2023

Traveling spectators have expressed concern over the hold-up in announcing ticket sales because they worry about possible logistical problems during the World Cup. Jay Shah promised that the ICC and BCCI would make an announcement regarding ticket sales and choose the ticketing partners soon, though.

Watching sports in the US and Europe is expensive but worth it. Cricket prices in India keep shooting up but the fan experience gets worse every single year.

The IPL final was a clear example of how paper tickets caused problems in Ahmedabad. No change. https://t.co/YUF1Jh4W9C

— Yashodhan Nakhare (@yashnakhare) July 28, 2023

A change in the match's location and schedule is being considered by BCCI, according to Shah.

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"We are trying that there are fewer changes in matches and venues, especially the venues. Also, two to three nations have requested changes in schedule. ICC and BCCI logistics teams are working on this and everything will be clear in two to four days. We could see some changes," Shah said that security-wise, everything is in order.

With games scheduled at ten venues throughout India from October 5 to November 19, 2023, India is ready to host the Cricket World Cup for the first time. The tournament's first game, between England and New Zealand, is scheduled for Ahmedabad on October 5.

Warm-up games will take place in Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram from September 29 to October 3. It is anticipated that the highly anticipated World Cup match between India and Australia on October 8 in Chennai will set the tone.

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