Tickets in demand for Indo-Pak Champions Trophy semis

It was a mad rush at ticket counters here Friday to purchase tickets for the India-Pakistan hockey Champions Trophy semi-final Saturday with fans expressing their keenness to watch the marquee match between the two arch-rivals.

Long queues were seen at the Kalinga stadium as fans jostled to get hold of the tickets, forcing Hockey India officials to issue only two tickets per person, instead of four per person as in the quarter-finals.

"I had been in the line since 6.00 am. But, finally I got two tickets after three hours standing in the queue. I don't want to miss the match," Priyanka Piyadarsini, a college student said.

There was online demand as well with tickets getting sold within hours.

Due to the scarcity of tickets, black-marketing was rampant as touts sold Rs 100 and Rs 150 tickets for as high as Rs 500 and Rs 1000 respectively.

"I don't mind getting a ticket at a high price. I just want to enjoy the match at any cost. I want India to win the match, Prakash Sahu, a software company employee said.

Hockey India officials said they were helpless to curb the black marketing.

"We are selling tickets at various ticket counters with the actual price. If someone sells tickets at higher rates, we are no way responsible for this," a Hockey India official said.

Tickets for the India games have been in high demand here with all the four matches of the hosts getting sold-out crowds at the 7000-capacity stadium.

Indo-Asian News Service

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