Bhargavi Kerur

Bangalore: Cricket fever has peaked in Bangalore with tickets for today’s ODI selling in the blackmarket for a whopping Rs20,000.

Over 12,000 tickets were legally bought on September 24 within three hours of the opening of the sale. But fans are willing to buy tickets for even ten times the actual price, especially the open gallery tickets that cost Rs200. The high-end tickets that cost Rs10,000 are being sold for Rs 20,000.

Over 12,000 tickets were sold out on September 24, other categories were booked much earlier, said Santosh Menon, member of the organising committee of KSCA. An official requesting anonymity said at least 40% of the tickets are given as complimentary.

The Chinnaswamy stadium where the match will be held has a capacity of 55,000. But even the black market seems to have been swept clean.

Tickets are no longer available, in any form. The police force has also suffered a reversal; it will be one man short during its match duty because a constable has been suspended for allegedly selling tickets in black.

“Constable Nagesh was apparently seen selling tickets to make extra money,” said BNS Reddy, the deputy commissioner of police, who is in-charge of the security during the match. “We will investigate the matter.”

According to the police, Nagesh, who was deployed to check illegal sale of tickets, was caught on camera while illegally selling tickets.

Amid the melee of appre hension and fanfare, the preparation for the match is proceeding at a swift pace, according to Santosh Menon, a member of the Karnataka State Cricket Association's organising committee.

The fan excitement is also reaching a breathless apogee.

“I anticipate a thriller because the Australians are wounded tigers and the Indians are confident after winning Twenty20 world championship,” said a KSCA member and Karnataka's wicketkeeper Avinash Vaidya. “The mood is upbeat. And it is going to be a tough fight.”

While the police have been alerted to the possibility of terrorist mischief at M Chinnaswamy stadium where an India-Australia ODI clash is scheduled, cricket fundamentalists are desperate to storm the venue for the big match. Amid the fear of terror attacks, the business outlook dazzled for those who sold match tickets in black.