All tickets sold out for IPL final

Kolkata, May 23 (IANS) It will be a sellout crowd at the iconic Eden Gardens here as two time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lock horns with the 2013 winners Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final on Sunday.

The famed cricket venue, that hosted the 1987 World Cup final, now has a 66,000 plus seating capacity.

According to sources, tickets kept for online purchase were sold out within hours. The tickets kept for box office sale from the Mohammedan Sporting ground also disappeared in no time.

The counter was closed on Friday and Saturday as cricket fanatics thronged the ground in search of a valid pass to witness the final.

Friday also witnessed police arresting the blackmarketers who were selling the tickets at almost double their prices to the supporters.

A day later the number of blackmarketers had considerably decreased, but in the periphery of the Eden one came across dozens of people secretly asking, "ticket lagbe?" (do you need a ticket?).

There were earlier speculations that the ground would not be packed to capacity as the home team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had crashed out of the tournament. However, the Cricket Association of Bengal officials had then seemed confident of a houseful Eden.

"Yes, KKR may have crashed out, but it is the final and the demand for tickets was huge," CAB treasurer Biswaroop Dey told IANS.

With tickets sold out and fans travelling to the city from all across the country, Eden on Sunday awaits an extravaganza that concludes one and a half months of 'tyohaar'.