A massive crowd turned up outside the iconic Barabati Stadium in Cuttack to acquire the tickets for India vs South Africa 1st T20I. Thousands of fans queued up for offline tickets, leading to a stampede-like situation as the crowd increased beyond control.
India and South Africa are set to clash in the T20Is after the Test and ODI legs of the tour. India dominated the first ODI and South Africa bounced back in the second to set up a decider in Vishakhapatnam. The T20I opener at Cuttack has naturally drawn massive interest, especially since it records Hardik Pandya's return to action after more than two months of injury-related absence. The release of tickets, both online and offline, triggered immense demand, leading to crowd mismanagement and safety concerns around the stadium premises.
The ticket sale at Barabati Stadium began early in the morning, but fans were already lined up for hours before the counters opened. Within minutes, the queues stretched over several lanes and roads surrounding the venue. Eyewitnesses reported pushing and people climbing barricades in a desperate attempt to get their hands on tickets. Videos on social media showed fans struggling to maintain decorum as police personnel attempted to control the crowd. Authorities later confirmed that the situation was 'close to a stampede,' though thankfully no major injuries were reported.
