IND v SA: CSA Confirms Hospitality Tickets Not Being Sold; Given Out Due To Contractual Obligations

The Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday clarified its stance on the attendance of hospitality members during the Test series against India in the first two matches at the Centurion and Johannesburg. CSA confirmed that the tickets are not being sold, as it was announced that the matches will be played in front of empty stands due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thanks to the discovery of the more infectious Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Gauteng province in South Africa, cricket and other sports were hampered badly. Netherlands cut short their white-ball tour and flew back home, despite India A continuing their tour of four-day matches. India senior team’s tour was postponed by a week and the four-T20I series was moved to a later date.

IND v SA: CSA Contractually Obligated To Issue Hospitality Tickets To Its Commercial Partners

Both the first two Test matches in Centurion and Johannesburg were played in front of empty stands, but people were present in hospitality boxes. This led to confusion over CSA possibly selling tickets to those areas.

CSA, however, said, it is contractually obliged to give out tickets to commercial partners and guests traveling with the Indian cricket team.

“Cricket South Africa (CSA) has noted the confusion concerning the allocation of hospitality tickets for the South Africa and India series. Consequently and noting the need to clarify this situation, CSA wishes to emphasise that the decision not to sell tickets for the series was due to the necessity not to compromise the bio-secure environment the teams are playing under.

However, CSA is still contractually obligated to issue hospitality tickets to its commercial partners and guests travelling with Team India. Therefore, attendance of matches by commercial partners is a contractual commercial deliverable, in pursuance of partner obligations. No hospitality tickets are being sold nor available for sale,” CSA said in a statement.

India won the first Test in Centurion by 113 runs and is hoping for a series-sealing 2-0 lead in Johannesburg. South Africa reached Stumps on Day 3 of the 2nd Test at 118/2, needing 122 more runs to win the Test and level the 3-match series.

India and South Africa will meet in the final Test in Cape Town from January 11 and the two teams will also play a 3-match ODI series in front of empty stands from January 19.

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