Lord's fated to face a huge loss as India fails to qualify for WTC Final

India, in recent times, has faced numerous critics and allegations of "favoritism" from the ICC. The team played all its matches at the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai, while the rest of the cricketing world collectively highlighted the "undue advantage" given to the champions. Blocking out all the noise, the Men in Blue emerged victorious in Dubai. It is a well-established fact that fans follow wherever India plays. Rarely does a match involving India take place without fanfare and a packed stadium. While England was among the top critics of India during the Champions Trophy, the board will surely feel the team's absence in the upcoming WTC Final.

Lord's set to lose millions in revenue as India fails to qualify for WTC Finals

India endured a dreadful Test season, which ultimately resulted in their failure to qualify for the 2025 WTC Final. After the Kangaroos defeated them 3-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia and South Africa secured spots in the final. Meanwhile, India missed the chance to qualify for the ICC event for the third consecutive time. However, it seems that more than just Indian fans will feel the team's absence in England for the WTC Final.

Always an affair scheduled in England, the Mecca of Cricket, Lord's will host the Test final from June 11-15 this year. However, months before the schedule, it has been reported that the board will face a revenue loss. While Lord’s will be hosting the WTC final for the first time, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is reportedly facing potential revenue losses of up to £4 million (approximately Rs 45.08 crore) due to India’s absence from the title match.

As per the latest report, MCC had initially set ticket prices at premium rates, banking on India’s qualification. However, with the summit clash missing one of its biggest crowd-pulling teams, the club has now slashed ticket prices by around £50 per seat in an attempt to boost attendance and avoid an empty-looking stadium.

"Organisers had originally priced tickets at a premium rate, believing India fan demand would outstrip supply, but the absence of India has significantly curtailed the financial windfall expected by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), underscoring the financial influence of Indian cricket across the global game," the report claimed.

"Anticipating India's participation, Lord's had originally priced tickets at premium rates, confident that the demand from Indian cricket supporters would outstrip supply. However, once it became clear that India would not feature in the final, MCC opted to lower ticket prices. The decision intended to prioritise a fuller, more vibrant stadium over the prospect of a sparsely populated ground with higher-priced seats," the report added.

Despite the setback for MCC, Lord’s remains a highly sought-after venue for Indian cricket fans. The stadium is set to host a Test match between India and England in July this year, with tickets for the first four days already sold out.