MCA set to increase ticket prices for India-Sri Lanka T20I by 10 to 15 percent - Reports 

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is considering driving up the ticket prices for the first T20I between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium on January 3 by 10 to 15 percent.

The decision to introduce the raise in ticket fare was reportedly taken at the MCA's Apex Council meeting on Friday, December 9.

The hike in price comes on the back of increased costs and budgets, which go behind hosting an international T20 fixture.

It is to be noted that the increased fare applies to the tickets available to the public, and the subsidized rates are expected to remain the same. A source told the Times of India:

"With costs having gone up, the budget for organizing a T20I has increased since then, so we felt a need to increase the ticket prices for the public slightly. The (subsidized) ticket prices for the MCA's clubs and donors (7,000) will remain the same."

The first T20I between the Men in Blue and the visiting Sri Lankan side at the Wankhede Stadium will officially kickstart the Men in Blue's lengthy home season. They are scheduled to play six T20Is, nine ODIs and four Tests from January to March, before the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

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Wankhede Stadium is slated to host the first ODI between India and Australia in March 2023 as well

The iconic stadium in Mumbai will also play host to the first of the three ODIs between India and Australia on March 17, 2023.

The venue's last white-ball contest came in 2020 prior to the COVID-induced lockdown. The contest was a forgettable one for the hosts as they ended up on the losing side to the visiting Australian side.

The third between India and West Indies in 2019 marks the last occasion the stadium played host to an international T20 contest. Since the resumption of cricket, the Wankhede Stadium has only seen one international fixture in the form of a Test match between the Men in Blue and the Blackcaps in late 2021.

The first leg of the 2021 season of the IPL saw some of the matches being played at the venue. However, due to the COVID-19 threat still being at large, the contests were played behind closed doors. However, people returned to full capacity in the subsequent 2022 edition, where the Wankhede hosted 20 matches to completion.

Is the increase in ticket prices by the MCA justified? Let us know what you think.

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