Indian fans with tickets to nowhere

Rohit Mahajan 

Birmingham, July 11

Losing the semifinal World Cup match to New Zealand, the Indian players looked shocked, forlorn as did the Indian fans. At the team hotel, the Men in Blue arrived tired and heartbroken. They chose to stay in. 

Edgbaston, the venue of the second semifinal in Birmingham today, had several Indian fans at the stands before the match began. Many others were out in the streets, selling the tickets they held. They had paid a tidy sum for these tickets as India were expected to play England today.

Edit: End of the dream

“I bought eight of these tickets for £200 each last week,” said an Indian fan, willing to be photographed but unwilling to be named. “Now I can’t sell these for even £50.” Just then, an England team fan passed by, offering £20 each for the tickets. “My wife is terribly disappointed,” said Amit Baid from New Jersey, US. 

Ahead of the second semifinal, many Indian fans shifted their support to England, India’s rivalry with Australia having been rather bitter over the past few years. Among them were a few with Indian names and English hearts. “My India-born dad supports India,” said Ranvir Singh, an IT professional from Coventry. “We wanted an India-England final, and I would have supported England.” 

He would be supporting England on July 14.

Sold for peanuts

With Team India out of contest, the tickets bought by Indian fans for as high as £200 each are now going for mere £20.