World Cup fans clash with police over lack of tickets

Around 7,500 tickets went on sale yesterday morning for Sunday’s match but after they ran out, fans refused to accept no more were available and tried to take matters into their own hands.

Some were even spotted attempting to climb into the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, as rumours swept round the crowds that more tickets were available inside.

It was reported that at least two people were taken to hospital, but M Chinnaswamy Stadium security officer Ratnakar Salunke claimed the admissions were as a result of exhaustion after many hours of queueing rather than injury caused by violence.

“After all the queueing, there was maybe some exhaustion, and the health of certain persons may not be that good for standing in the sunlight for all that time,” he stated. “It is not for any other reason. I was told by the police that one or two of them were not comfortable.”

The majority of tickets are thought to have been made available to sponsors and commercial partners only.

The Group B match had to be switched from the 90,000-capacity Eden Gardens in Kolkata to the Bangalore ground, which holds 38,000, because the original venue was not ready in time.

When it was announced the final batch of tickets would go on sale, Indian supporters began queueing at least a day beforehand – to be served at just three counters.

Salunke added: “The crowd was so huge. There were not sufficient tickets for all of them, and they were not satisfied. The moment the tickets were sold out they were unhappy with it.

“They started demanding more tickets, and started trying to get in – because they thought there were more. But there aren’t. So the police had to disperse the people forcibly.”

There was nothing unusual, he explained, about police using riot sticks to try to push back the crowd.

“It is the minimum mild force the police use if it is not possible otherwise to disperse a crowd if it becomes unruly.

“It is normal practice, anywhere in India, when people refuse to disperse. It is like that not only for a cricket match but anything – the cinema, for example.”

It is hoped there will be no repeat of the scenes on match day when a 500m exclusion zone will be set up for anyone without a ticket, and 1,800 police will be deployed inside and outside the ground.

“On Sunday, there won’t be anything; there won’t be any problem. It will be orderly,” said Salunke.

“There will be security, and no one will be allowed near the ground – even in the surroundings – unless they have a valid ticket.

“There will be an outer ring, a middle ring and an inner ring – and everyone (with a ticket) will be filtered and sent inside. There will be no gathering outside the stadium.”

Looking ahead to the game, Ravi Bopara is determined to help England keep the winning habit and make sure they cannot ignore his claims to a place in their best side.

Bopara knows, despite his match-clinching unbeaten 30 against Holland in England’s opening World Cup Group B match, he is far from certain to retain his place against tournament favourites India.

But should he make the cut again, ahead of second spin option Mike Yardy, the middle-order batsman insists even a capacity crowd roaring on the hosts will not intimidate him.

Bopara’s return in Nagpur on Tuesday came about only after he was called up as a squad replacement for the injured Eoin Morgan, and ended a run of nine one-day internationals out of the team.

In that time England lost 6-1 in Australia yet when Bopara found himself back in the reckoning, against Pakistan in a warm-up and then the Dutch, it instantly felt like business as usual for him.

“I wasn’t in Australia to comment on what happened there – but as soon as I arrived with the team, it’s been back to what I’m used to seeing, which is winning,” he said.

“These last two or three years England have been excellent in one-day cricket. I’m used to winning with England – and that’s what we’ve done so far.”

The 25-year-old has played in one World Cup campaign, has 55 ODI caps to his name and 10 Test appearances but he has been unable to establish any permanence in the side.

“I don’t think it’s now or never,” he stated. “I’m not guaranteed a place next game. There might be a change to the team. But if I’m performing day-in, day-out in county cricket, then I can’t be ignored.”

His IPL experience with the Kings XI Punjab also means he feels increasingly at home in India and on Indian pitches.

“Without a doubt it’s definitely made me a better player,” he said.

“It’s made me more confident coming to the sub-continent. I just know what the pitches are likely to do. You can play a different way to the way you play in England.

“You can certainly be a little bit more aggressive against the seam bowling. They are just generally better pitches to bat on. I wish I could bat here every day.”