Srinagar: Team India superstar Virat Kohli has requested all his friends not to ask for World Cup 2023 tickets and instead enjoy matches from home.
India open their World Cup campaign against Australia in Chennai on Sunday, and while most of the Chepauk games are sold out, it is nothing new for cricketers to be burdened by ticket demands.
With Team India expected to take its best shot at winning the World Cup, Kohli does not want any distractions and has urged the public to follow the games from the comfort of their homes.
“As we approach the World Cup, I would humbly like to let all my friends know to not request me for tickets all through the tournament. Enjoy from your homes please,” Kohli wrote in his Instagram story followed by a laugh emoji.
Kohli’s wife and Bollywood star Anushka Sharma shared her husband’s post on her Insta, adding: “And let me just add… please don’t request me to help if your messages go unanswered. Thank you for your understanding.”
Sales for India’s warm-up matches kicked off on August 30, with main round tickets becoming accessible from August 31. Notably, the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match tickets were released for booking from September 3.
Obtaining tickets for World Cup matches had previously posed a significant challenge for the Indian public. They had to endure lengthy digital queues, often leading to frustrating rejections. The official ticketing platform for the 2023 Cricket World Cup, BookMyShow, encountered severe performance issues, prompting the ICC to implement a more efficient process.
On September 6, the BCCI revealed the release of an additional 400,000 tickets as part of its second phase, with sales commencing on September 8.