Kohli effect in Lucknow:Tickets rise up to ₹50,000 ahead of RCB vs LSG clash as demand soars among fans

Veteran cricketer Virat Kohli arrived in Lucknow ahead of the IPL clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and trained for nearly two hours at Ekana Stadium. During the session, Kohli looked in fine touch, smashing multiple sixes and spending time practising against spin bowlers. He later completed fitness drills, including laps around the boundary. A large number of fans gathered outside the stadium, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kohli. However, many left disappointed as entry was restricted during the practice session. The match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and LSG is scheduled for May 7 at Ekana Stadium, with excitement among fans reaching a peak. The buzz is visible both on the ground and across online platforms, with Kohli remaining the biggest attraction. Despite ticket prices doubling, demand continues to surge, and the turnout could set a new attendance record in Lucknow this season. Online ticket prices for the match are currently ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹50,000 — the highest for any game in the city this season so far. Earlier matches had tickets priced between ₹1,000 and ₹25,000. Meanwhile, brokers and touts are reportedly selling RCB vs LSG tickets at several times the original price, further highlighting the massive demand. Lucknow eager to get a glimpse of King Kohli The match scheduled for May 7th is on paper between LSG and RCB, but the ground reality is that fans in Lucknow are coming only to see Virat Kohli. Experts are already calling the match a ‘mega show’ and declaring it housefull. Highest demand for this category Among the 9 ticket categories, the highest demand is for Rs 6,000 ticket. This is the South VIP Terrace area. The ticket rates for East and West Stand are Rs 2,000. Both these categories have the highest demand. Now know about Kohli’s practice session- Cricket fans appeared eager to see Kohli Virat opened up in practice, had a long discussion about the pitch In the practice session that lasted from 5 PM to 8 PM on Tuesday evening, Virat Kohli’s focus was on hitting sixes. After warm-up, Virat faced fast bowlers and spinners in the nets for about an hour. During this time, his shots showed the same old aggression and accuracy. After practice, Kohli had a long discussion with head coach Andy Flower about the pitch. RCB’s batting depends on Kohli In the current IPL season, Virat Kohli has emerged as the strongest pillar for RCB. He has scored 379 runs in 9 matches played so far with an excellent average of 54.14 and a strike rate of 165.50. It may be noted that in the previous encounter held in Bengaluru on April 15, Virat had also taken Lucknow’s bowlers to task. He played an innings of 49 runs (6 fours, 1 six) off just 34 balls, laying the foundation for his team’s 5-wicket victory. Now Ekana fans are hoping that on May 7, they will get to see a big innings from Virat’s bat. LSG’s performance in IPL 2025 so far LSG are currently at the bottom of the IPL points table, placed 10th. The team has lost 7 of their 9 matches so far, managing just two wins — one in Hyderabad and the other in Kolkata. Notably, LSG have failed to register a single victory in their last six matches. The team arrived in Lucknow on Tuesday. Earlier, on Monday, Mumbai Indians handed them a heavy defeat, dealing a major blow to their playoff hopes. LSG’s batting line-up has struggled throughout the season. After nine matches, only three players — Mitchell Marsh (256), Aiden Markram (224) and captain Rishabh Pant (204) — have crossed the 200-run mark. Last season’s key performers Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni have failed to make an impact this time. On the bowling front, while there have been individual performances, the lack of collective effort has hurt the team. Prince Yadav (13 wickets) and Mohsin Khan (10 wickets) have impressed, but Mohammed Shami has been below par, and Avesh Khan has struggled for rhythm.