SRINAGAR: The India-Pakistan clash at the 2027 ODI World Cup has attracted more than 8.4 million ticket requests, making it the tournament’s most sought-after fixture, despite the venue having a seating capacity of just 34,000.
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), the October 10 encounter at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg has received 8,397,294 applications through the ongoing ticket ballot, highlighting the huge demand for the high-profile contest.
The World Cup final, scheduled to take place at the same venue on November 21, has also generated significant interest, with 7,900,944 ticket requests, placing it second among the tournament’s most sought-after matches.
Overall, the ICC has received more than 120 million ticket requests from supporters in 193 countries. Around 2.8 million unique fans have registered their interest in attending the competition.
South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will jointly host the 2027 edition of the 50-over World Cup. The tournament will begin on October 7, with a repeat of the 2023 final between Australia and India, which Australia won in Ahmedabad.
The India-Pakistan fixture remains one of cricket’s most anticipated encounters. India have won their last nine meetings against Pakistan, while Pakistan’s most recent victory over India came during the 2022 Asia Cup.
Both sides have been placed in a group alongside Australia, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and a qualifier. The other group comprises England, South Africa, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and another qualifying team.
Under the tournament format, the top three teams from each group, along with the best-performing fourth-placed side, will progress to the Super 7 stage. The four leading teams from that stage will secure places in the semi-finals.
How the ticket ballot works
The ICC has made entry into the ticket ballot free of charge, with no payment required at the registration stage.
Applicants can submit one entry for each match and are permitted to register their interest in multiple fixtures.
The selection process is not based on the order in which applications are received. Fans can enter at any time during the ballot window without affecting their chances of securing tickets.
Where applications exceed the available allocation for a particular match, successful applicants will be chosen through a randomised selection process.
The ICC will notify both successful and unsuccessful applicants through the email addresses provided during registration.
