Lord's Cricket Ground is set to generate nearly 4 million pounds (INR 45 crore), less in revenue than what was earlier expected during the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) Final due to India's failure to qualify for the match , according to British daily national newspaper The Times.
Defending champions Australia are set to face South Africa in the marquee Test match which starts on June 11.
According to a report in The Times that the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns Lord's, had originally charge premium rates for the tickets to the WTC Final expecting India to play the Test once again. Rohit Sharma's side were frontrunners for a spot in the final at the start of their 2023/24 Test season in which they hosted Bangladesh and New Zealand at home for five matches before playing a five-match series in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
They went into that run of matches at the top of the WTC table and largely needed to win five of the 10 Tests to go through to the final. With India rarely ever coming close to losing Test matches at home to Bangladesh and New Zealand historically, it was largely seen as a foregone conclusion that they will make it to the WTC Final for a third consecutive time.
However, India ended up being whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand in a result that sent shockwaves around the world. This followed by a 3-1 loss in the subsequent tour of Australia confirmed that they would fail to qualify for the final first time in the WTC's brief history.
The Times reports that the MCC opted to lower ticket prices when it became apparent that India won't make it this year, with a focus on having a fuller stadium over the prospect of a sparsely populated ground with higher-priced seats. It is further reported that MCC members who bought tickets before the price drop have been refunded the difference.
The report states that the organisers had initially priced match tickets at a premium rate keeping India as a finalist in mind, believing their demand would "outstrip supply". However, the Rohit Sharma-led team's failure to qualify for the final forced the MCC to lower their ticket prices in order to ensure a "more vibrant stadium" instead of an empty-looking one.
Tickets currently are being sold at rates between £40 to £90 - £50 cheaper than what the MCC had originally set them at keeping India's participation in mind. MCC members who had bought tickets before the price reduction have since been refunded the difference.
India had lost to New Zealand in the inaugural WTC final at Southampton's Rose Bowl in 2021 before losing to their Trans-Tasman rivals two years later.
As for the 2023-25 cycle, India were in pole position to qualify for a third consecutive final after defeating West Indies 1-0, holding South Africa to a 1-1 draw in South Africa and inflicting a 4-1 series loss on England at home.
Later in 2024, India would complete a 2-0 sweep against Bangladesh at home. However, a stunning 0-3 home whitewash at the hands of New Zealand left them needing a series win in Australia to qualify.
Their fate was ultimately sealed with a 1-3 series loss Down Under.
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