Champions Trophy in Dubai: India-Pakistan match tickets sell out in minutes after second sale
Tickets for the India-Pakistan match were all sold out once again on Sunday after the ICC announced more passes would be available. This time, fans beat last time's record, with tickets for the highly-anticipated match selling out within minutes.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Ajanta P, an Abu Dhabi resident who had been trying her luck with three devices, was taken by surprise when she saw the tickets were sold out.
"I was waiting with three devices. I was able to get into the website on my phone at 12.05pm when I saw the tickets were already sold out."
The tickets were made available at 12pm on the ICC's website.
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The additional tickets were made available for the three group matches that India will play and the first semi-final.
Dubai resident Tasmiyah A, who was stuck in line the first time the tickets went on sale, had a similar fate today when she tried to buy tickets. "It had been only around 10 minutes when I was taken to the website and saw the tickets were all sold out. Last time, I was waiting in the virtual line for almost an hour to just find the tickets were all gone."
Tasmiyah now plans to watch the match at one of the screening venues across the city, surrounded by friends and family. "I don't want to be alone at home while watching the match. Community is what makes these games more thrilling."
At the time of publishing this article, tickets for India's opening group match with Bangladesh on February 20 remain available.
Meanwhile, some tickets for the match between New Zealand and India which is set to take place on March 2 are yet to be sold out.
The tickets for the first semi-final set to take place on March 4 are still available in some categories. Tickets for this match starts at Dh300.
The ICC Men's Champions Trophy Final tickets – to be played on Sunday 9 March - will be available for purchase following the conclusion of the first semi-final in Dubai.
For those who aren't able to snag a ticket but would still like to watch the match surrounded by the frenzy of fans, here is a guide to the hot spots around town to catch the screening of the game.
Initially sold on February 3, tickets to India's matches and semi-final in Dubai had sold out in less than an hour as fans lined up virtually to get a hold of the much-awaited tickets.
Many fans were left disappointed after failing to secure the tickets. Some resellers on the other hand were selling these treasured passes for up to seven times the original price.
Airfares have seen a rise prior to the highly-anticipated India Pakistan match, with travel experts predicting a steep rise in bookings and airfare spikes between 20 and 50 per cent, with last-minute fares potentially doubling.
In December 2024, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed Dubai as a neutral venue to host the India matches.
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