Cricket fans arriving at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium for the IPL 2026 clash between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were shocked after police uncovered a fake ticket racket operating outside the venue. The Lucknow Police arrested four men accused of selling forged IPL tickets created with the help of AI tools and graphic design software.
The incident took place during Thursday’s match at the Ekana Stadium, where LSG hosted RCB in the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League. Lucknow is set to host seven LSG matches this season.
According to media reports, the fraud came to light after a fake IPL ticket was found with a spectator trying to enter the stadium. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Lucknow South) Amit Kumar Anand said that the buyer revealed the ticket had been purchased from a person outside the stadium gates.
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Following the complaint, the Cyber Cell Lucknow and the Sushant Golf City police team launched an operation and arrested four accused. Police said all four are residents of Durg district in Chhattisgarh. Investigators believe the gang used ChatGPT along with graphic editing software to design and print fake match tickets that looked genuine.
Meanwhile, the rain-hit match itself turned into a thrilling contest. Mitchell Marsh scored a brilliant century, while Prince Yadav impressed with the ball as Lucknow Super Giants defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by nine runs through the DLS method. The game was interrupted by rain three times and reduced to 19 overs per side. The victory ended LSG’s six-match losing streak and also marked their first home win of the season.
