Former Indian cricketer Venkatesh Prasad has slammed the World Cup ticket sale system after the fans experienced difficulties in booking their tickets for the tournament. The former fast-bowler posted a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) to express his anger over the ticket system. Prasad called for a resolution, stating that this is a matter of national prestige.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India opened a fresh sale of four lakh tickets for the upcoming 50-over tournament after the demand for the tickets went rocket high. But fans experienced issues booking tickets again with waiting time being around 90 minutes. Prasad hit out and counted on the mistakes made by the BCCI in the lead-up to the World Cup. "There is no debate and doubt on the fact that we have messed up the lead-up to the World Cup. Unreasonable delay in the schedule in the first place and if that wasn’t enough changing the schedule hampering 5 matches in the process, if that wasn’t enough a completely non-transparent and inefficient ticket system only encouraging black marketeers," he wrote on X.
Prasad stated that it is a proud moment for India to host a World Cup but there should be a better plan for fans to let them enjoy the World Cup. It is a proud moment to be hosting a World Cup and it should have been a great time for the fans but these difficulties for the fans doesn’t look unplanned. It’s time we wake up and not make this incompetence a norm just because “Yes Men” around don’t want to speak up.
It is a matter of national prestige," he added.
He posted a few other posts too. The former fast bowler said that BCCI needs to do better than what they have done in the lead of the tournament. "We have a good team and are strong contenders for the World Cup but we need genuine fans inside the stadium cheering for the team and their experience needs to be far smoother and easier than what it has been, and for that, the BCCI needs to do far better than they have done so far. It is a reflection of the country as a whole and we as a nation should not be let down at any cost," the 54-year-old wrote in another post.
