The sale of Balcony C tickets for the upcoming India vs Bangladesh Kanpur Test, starting on October 27, has been limited due to structural concerns raised by PWD engineers. The Green Park Stadium, which is hosting the second Test, has seen its Balcony C section under scrutiny, with engineers warning that the stand’s pillars may not be able to handle the pressure of fans celebrating—especially if Rishabh Pant hits one of his signature sixes.
According to The Indian Express, a PWD engineer expressed doubts about the safety of the stand, stating that it wouldn’t support the weight of 50 fans if they started jumping in excitement. "This stand won’t be able to take the weight of even 50 fans if they start jumping after a Rishabh Pant six. It needs urgent repairs," the engineer said. Due to these concerns, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) has decided to reduce the number of tickets sold for the Balcony C section.
UPCA CEO Ankit Chatterjee confirmed the decision, telling The Indian Express, "The PWD has raised some issues, and we have agreed that we will not sell all the tickets for Balcony C." He further elaborated that only 1,700 tickets will be sold for the stand, which has a total capacity of 4,800. "The repair work will continue for the next couple of days," Chatterjee added.
Green Park Stadium, which is managed by the Uttar Pradesh government, has hosted fewer international matches in recent years, with more focus shifting to the newly built Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The Ekana Stadium, which boasts better facilities, has also become the home venue for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with the UPCA operating from there.
In addition to the issues with Balcony C, a problem with one of the stadium’s floodlights has also been identified, as eight bulbs near the VIP pavilion are not functioning. This is reminiscent of the bad light problems that disrupted play during India’s Test match against New Zealand at the venue in 2021.
With repairs ongoing, the Green Park Stadium is facing mounting pressure to ensure the venue’s safety and readiness for the upcoming Test, amid a shift towards newer, better-equipped stadiums like Ekana.
