ODI World Cup 2023: Black marketing of tickets for India vs SA clash lands CAB officials in a soup

Kolkata Police summons Cricket Association of Bengal officials over alleged ticket black marketing for the India-South Africa ODI World Cup 2023 match, amid complaints and denials from authorities.

Kolkata Police has summoned officials from the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and an online ticket booking portal following a complaint alleging the black marketing of tickets for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 match between India and South Africa, as confirmed by an officer. Notices were issued to the CAB and the online ticket booking portal, asking them to appear before the police on Thursday. However, none of the representatives from either the CAB or the online ticket booking portal showed up, according to the officer.

A case was filed at the Maidan Police Station on Wednesday after cricket enthusiasts filed a complaint. They accused officials associated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), CAB, and an online ticket booking portal of collusion, leading to black marketing of tickets for the India-South Africa match.

The complainants alleged that specific BCCI and CAB officials, along with the online ticket booking portal, deliberately set aside a significant number of tickets meant for the general public, enabling their availability to black marketeers.

Responding to the allegations, a senior official from the CAB dismissed the claims, stating that their role was limited to hosting the match. They clarified that the ticket sales process was managed by the online portal and the International Cricket Council (ICC).