AHMEDABAD: In a swift crackdown ahead of the high-stakes India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup 2026 final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad City Crime Branch has arrested two individuals caught red-handed selling final match tickets in the black market.
The operation unfolded near Usmanpura, close to Gujarat Vidyapith ST Peak Bus Stand, where surveillance teams spotted the suspects acting suspiciously. A quick search yielded eight premium final tickets from their possession. Investigations revealed these culprits had booked the tickets online legitimately but were hawking them illegally at triple the official price—Rs 10,000 each—just a day before the blockbuster Sunday showdown.
Authorities have seized all eight tickets and initiated legal proceedings against the duo. Probe teams are now digging deeper to unearth any larger syndicate involved in this racket, ensuring fans get fair access to the marquee event.
Cricket fever is at fever pitch. India, the tournament favorites, have lost just one game throughout the campaign—a Super 8 defeat to South Africa. They bounced back spectacularly, thrashing England by seven wickets in the semi-final to storm into the final.
New Zealand, meanwhile, enters with two losses and one rain-abandoned match. The Kiwis dominated their semi-final, crushing South Africa by nine wickets.
Head-to-head in T20Is, India leads with 16 wins from 30 matches against New Zealand’s 11, with three ties. However, in T20 World Cups, New Zealand holds a perfect 3-0 edge over India. Fans are pinning hopes on Rohit Sharma’s men to reverse history and lift the trophy on home soil.