Pak vs Ind: Hotel accommodation and airfare hike ahead of World Cup match | Bat N Ball

The clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan always stands out as a major spectacle in every grand cricket tournament. As the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup draws nearer, fervent fans of the game eagerly anticipate the arrival of this historic sporting event.

However, the excitement surrounding this momentous day in cricketing history has been somewhat dampened by a significant surge in airfare and hotel prices. Even domestic travel within India has become increasingly costly, casting a shadow over the build-up to the match.

Airfares from Delhi and Mumbai to Ahmedabad have soared above INR20,000 due to the overwhelming demand for flight tickets to the host city. Cricket enthusiasts making plans to attend the match must brace themselves for the escalated expenses of air travel and accommodation.

Currently, a direct flight costs between INR15,000 and INR22,000 from Delhi or Mumbai to Ahmedabad.

The situation is even more challenging for those traveling to India from other countries, leaving passionate fans disheartened as they contemplate attending the match amidst steep airfare costs.

Simultaneously, hotel room rentals have skyrocketed, reaching up to INR50,000.

Nishant Pitti, the CEO and co-founder of EaseMyTrip, commented on the historical popularity of the India vs. Pakistan cricket encounter.

"Ever since the official announcement, there has been a fivefold increase in hotel tariffs for a single night. As much as 50,000 yen is charged by opulent hotels per night. It's not just the hotels, but flight tickets are also witnessing a steep surge," Pitti stated.

He further highlighted that airfares have become six times more expensive, even when booked three months prior to the match.

"An economy class ticket from Delhi to Ahmedabad during August and September would usually cost around ₹3,000. However, a day before the match, the same ticket would cost ₹20,000," Pitti revealed.

He also noted that the demand for flight tickets and searches on their website had reached an unprecedented level. "A large number of people keen on attending the match have already begun booking their tickets in advance."

In the meantime, Aloke Bajpai, Group Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of ixigo, reported a surge in travel queries for all the host cities.

"We have witnessed a significant increase in search queries for travel to all the host cities... The ticket prices may rise closer to the match dates based on demand and availability," he explained.

Krishna Mohan, the managing director of Southern Travels, predicted a significant rise in air ticket prices in the upcoming months.

"Prices will reach their peak by the end of September... The highly anticipated cricket match between India and Pakistan is a major contributing factor," Mohan stated.

The lack of information on ticket sales on the ICC website, on the other hand, has angered some fans. Despite the ICC ODI World Cup schedule being released more than two weeks ago, the organization has remained silent on ticket pricing and reservations, as reported by Inside Sport.

While there is no clarity on ticket information, hotels in India are already fully booked for the World Cup.For games in cities like Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, inquiries and reservations have begun flooding in, and a strong demand is predicted.

"Our Ahmedabad hotel has already received room bookings for the India-Pakistan match dates. Bookings and inquiries have already begun for our hotels in Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune. It is anticipated that most hotels in these cities will be sold out on the match dates," revealed a sales general manager at a hotel and resort company, in conversation with an Indian media outlet.

On October 15 in Ahmedabad, Pakistan and India will square off in a highly anticipated match.