Punjab Cricket Association combo ticket delight for fans in Mohali

Cricket fans showing the tickets of T20 cricket match out side PCA stadium in SAS Nagar. Express photo by Jasbir Malhi

In A first-of-its kind, the Punjab Cricket Association will sell tickets for the India-Australia match on March 27 in combination with India-West Indies women’s match on the same day apart from Pakistan-Australia match on March 25 in the ICC World T20 Championship at IS Bindra PCA Stadium, Mohali.

The sale of tickets for these matches will start on March 17 and the tickets will be combo tickets priced at a minimum of Rs 700 for general public and Rs 300 for students. Last week, the PCA had started the ticket sale for the women’s matches to be played on March 18 and 20 apart from Pakistan-New Zealand match on March 22.

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“This is the first time that the fans will get to buy combo tickets for these three matches. Pakistan-Australia match on March 25 is also a big match in the World T20 and since the gap between the matches is less, we have decided to offer the tickets in a combination. There will be two tickets to see the match on March 25 and 27 and both the tickets will be offered jointly. Since the time is less, we will not offer a single ticket for a single match,” said PCA secretary G S Walia. “PCA is ready to host fans from all over the region and the country. The online sale of the 20 per cent tickets has ended and the rest of the tickets will be sold through the counters.”

The lowest-priced ticket for the three-match combo is priced at Rs 300 for the students block (with I-card to be shown and photocopy of I-card) while the chair block combo is priced at Rs 700. The members block tickets combo will be priced at Rs 200 for the members while the North VIP tickets combo will be priced at Rs 2,750. The VIP block tickets combo will be priced at Rs 3,000 while the North Pavilion block combo will be for Rs 5,000. The Terrace Pavilion tickets combo will be priced at Rs 10,000 while BOX Level I and BOX Level II tickets will be priced at Rs 24,750 and Rs 22,500 respectively. The AC Lounge combo will be priced at Rs 11,000.

“The renovation at the stadium is complete and the box level enclosure have been fitted with new glass panels. Besides that, the stadium has chairs in each block and we will also ensure that the fans will get food at nominal rates. Pakistan fans are also expected to come to see Pakistan matches and they have always enjoyed the hospitality offered by PCA,” added Walia.
Mixed reaction from fans
While the PCA offered tickets for the women’s T20 tickets (March 18 and March 20) at much lower price apart from Pakistan-New Zealand match on March 22, where tickets were priced for Rs 50 for chairs block for women’s matches and Rs 200 for Pakistan New Zealand match, some cricket fans believe that the tickets are not priced nominally. “We are interested in India-Australia match and what is the use of spending extra money to buy a ticket in a combo for the Pakistan-Australia match? Even if we give the March 25 ticket to somebody, the fact that we have to shell out more for the tickets will hurt our pocket,” said Rajiv Kumar, a Panchkula resident.

Pardeep Chaudhary, another fan, believes that this price will keep non-serious buyers at a distance. “Earlier, we used to see that many people would buy tickets and later sell them at a higher price. Now most of the serious fans will buy the general tickets,” said Chaudhary.

Stadium and bank branches
Tickets will be sold though counters at Gate 4 and Gate 14 at PCA Stadium (10 am to 5 pm) apart from Central Bank of India branches in Sector 15, Sector 17 and Sector 32, Chandigarh, Sector 70, Mohali and Sector 10, Panchkula (10.30 am to 4 pm). There will be separate counters for handicapped, women and senior citizens.