Second sell-out of Champions Trophy tickets at Edgbaston

THE first allocation of tickets for the final of the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy at Edgbaston has sold out just a week after going on general sale.

The demand is a further shot in the arm for the Birmingham stadium after tickets for the Champions Trophy clash between rivals India and Pakistan sold-out in just three hours.

Warwickshire officials said demand was so strong that the only way cricket fans could now secure entry to the games would be through hospitality packages.

Colin Povey, Chief Executive of Edgbaston, said: “The ICC Champions Trophy is one of the biggest sporting tournaments to take place in the world in 2013, so it’s not surprising to see such a high demand for these tickets.”

Steve Elworthy, ICC Champions Trophy Tournament Director, said: “This is the first time that we’ve held a final of a major international cricket tournament outside of London, and the response that we’ve received from fans has been fantastic. Tickets for the remaining games at Edgbaston, The Oval and Cardiff Wales Stadium are also selling quickly.”

While the first allocations for India v Pakistan and the Final have sold out already, any remaining tickets that become available are unlikely to now be on sale until next spring.

Fans are also being warned that ICC Champions Trophy tickets found listed on secondary resale websites above face value have broken the terms and conditions of the ticket and may be cancelled, leading to refused entry at the ground, and no refund. Those tickets cancelled will then be re-sold to fans who genuinely want to attend the game.

Povey added: “We are fully against ticket touting and we are working closely with the ICC to ensure that tickets to these marquee fixtures remain in the hands of genuine cricket fans. I would advise supporters who have missed out on tickets to contact our hospitality partner Keith Prowse, as hospitality is now the only way to secure entry to the Champions Trophy Final and India v Pakistan.”

In addition to these two fixtures, matches at Edgbaston in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy include England v Australia, Pakistan v South Africa, and Australia v New Zealand.