The ICC World T20 tickets were expected to go on sale from Tuesday, as announced by the BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, but the sale has now been postponed to Saturday, February 13.
The BCCI were forced to postpone the ticket sales owing to the doubts over Delhi being able to host its allotted matches. The Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) were under pressure to get an NOC from the civic agencies, in order to be able to host the World T20 matches.
After several days of will-they-be-able-to-won't-they, the doubts have finally come to an end, as they can now host the World T20 matches at the Feroz Shah Kotla after receiving the necessary permissions.
The DDCA are set to receive an NOC from South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). Now, the DDCA needs to complete the repair work of the stadium as quickly as possible in order to be ready in time to host the matches.
"We have withdrawn the plea for provisional certificate from the High Court since the SDMC has passed a resolution saying they would give us permanent clearance after we satisfy certain conditions," Ravinder Manchanda, the DDCA treasurer, was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
"We have deposited the security amount of Rs 50 lakh. A conditional NOC will be issued by them tomorrow which will then give us a further time of 10 to 12 days - about a week out of the [stipulated] 20 days has already elapsed - to complete the rest of the work [on the stadium's maintenance and refurbishment].
"There is only minor work pending. We should be able to complete it soon. We have mailed the BCCI to communicate this."
With DDCA set to get the required NOC for hosting T20 World Cup matches, Delhi cricket fans can now visualise watching international cricketers battling it out for their respective countries in the World T20. Now, the cricket fans can also make plans to get hold of the tickets as soon as possible.
"They have got the NOC now. If they have got the NOC then what stops them [from hosting the World T20]?" a BCCI official said.
"It's after all our national capital. They will have to produce the NOC and also give it in writing that they will be able to host the matches. In 20 days they will anyway finish the arrangements. We will communicate this [development] to the ICC by tomorrow."
Though Delhi might have lost the India vs Sri Lanka T20 match to Ranchi, they are well on track to host the prestigious T20 event, starting next month.
Delhi have been allotted four matches in the World T20.
