Demand for tickets for the second Test between India and Sri Lanka, which will be held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here from March 12 to 16, has exceeded expectations.
Tickets for the first two days of the day-night Test have sold out, said Vinay Mruthyunjaya, Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) treasurer and spokesperson.
This will be the first-ever day-night, pink ball Test at the venue, an exciting novelty that has contributed to the clamour for tickets.
Fans have taken a wait-and-see approach before purchasing tickets for the third, fourth, and fifth days, given that India whipped Sri Lanka inside three days in the first Test at Mohali.
The box office sales at the stadium on Sunday witnessed long queues. The small number of tickets (for the more expensive stands) that were made available for online purchase a few days ago was sold out within a few hours.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the crowd capacity at the stadium has been restricted to 50%. Around 10,000 tickets were made available to the public, while the rest will be taken by club members, ex-cricketers, sponsors, and others.
The occasion could have been even more special if not for a change in the itinerary. Bengaluru was supposed to host the first outing, which would have been superstar Virat Kohli’s 100th Test. The BCCI’s revised schedule, however, meant that Mr. Kohli’s landmark game was celebrated in Mohali, while Bengaluru was allotted the second Test.
The city last held an international match in January 2020, when Rohit Sharma’s century helped India defeat Australia in a One-Day International.
