Ticketing platform’s server crashes due to high demand as ICC launches phase 2 ticket sales for T20 World Cup 2026

NEW DELHI: The second phase of ticket sales for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 opened on Wednesday on BookMyShow, drawing overwhelming interest from fans, not just for the high-voltage India vs Pakistan clash but also for other matches included in this round of allocations.

Within minutes of going live, BookMyShow experienced a surge in traffic as users attempted to secure seats for what is traditionally the most sought-after fixture in the tournament calendar. The volume of concurrent requests caused the platform’s servers to crash.

Ticket sales have been allotted to eight stadiums across India, including Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad, and to Kandy and Colombo in Sri Lanka. With affordability and top-class fan experience in mind, the ICC has introduced tickets at affordable prices, starting at just Rs 100 in India and LKR 1000 in Sri Lanka (approximately USD 3.26).

This is the 10th edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, and the tournament returns to India for the first time since 2016, when the West Indies won. The India will be defending their crown on home soil following a historic win in the previous edition back in 2024.

Meanwhile, it will be Sri Lanka’s second time hosting the tournament since 2012. The opening day of the T20 World Cup 2026 will feature three exciting clashes: Pakistan taking on the Netherlands in Colombo; the two-time champions, West Indies, starting against Bangladesh in Kolkata; and India playing the USA in Mumbai. India is in Group A with arch-rivals Pakistan, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA.

Earlier, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 trophy toured the Bouddhanath Stupa in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, as part of a trophy tour in the Himalayan Nation. The tour, a buildup to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which starts next month, was held at the Bouddhanath Stupa.

Hundreds of people gathered around the trophy, taking pictures. The trophy tour was launched last year from the Adama’s Bridge, where a two-seater paramotor lifted off, carrying the trophy against the dramatic backdrop of India’s southern coastline.

The symbolic start of the tour from Adam’s Bridge, a culturally revered site known as Ram Setu in India and a gateway between India and Sri Lanka, was unveiled in Kathmandu in a ceremony on January 5, 2025.

The trophy, since then, has also toured the city of Lakes- Pokhara in Kaski district. The 10th edition of the global event will feature 20 teams, with 29 days of high-intensity cricket played across eight venues in India and Sri Lanka, and will run from February 7 to March 8. (ANI)