By Zainab Shafiq 
The glitz and glamour of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 have been overshadowed by a serious controversy involving the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). On Wednesday, July 9, the President of HCA, Jagan Mohan Rao, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Hyderabad in connection with the now-unfolding IPL ticket scam.
The arrest follows a detailed investigation that exposed multiple lapses in governance and alleged ticket black-marketing during IPL matches hosted at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad.
The Ticketing Controversy: What Went Wrong?
At the heart of the scandal is the misuse and unauthorized sale of complimentary tickets. According to the CID probe, there were glaring discrepancies in how match tickets were distributed by the HCA. Instead of following agreed limits, Rao and certain HCA officials allegedly applied pressure on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to release surplus tickets, which were then reportedly sold in the black market for personal gain.
Matters escalated when SRH accused Jagan Mohan Rao of coercion and blackmail, revealing that the HCA President had even locked the corporate box hours before a match to assert control and pressurize the franchise into releasing more tickets.
These allegations, made directly by SRH, mark a serious breakdown in the professional relationship between the franchise and the state cricket body.
SRH Responds and Involves BCCI
To address the ongoing turmoil, SRH escalated the issue by appealing to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL’s governing council. Their request urged the national cricket body to investigate the HCA’s conduct and restore proper oversight.
In response to the growing crisis, HCA Secretary R. Devraj scheduled an urgent meeting with SRH officials at the stadium to reach a resolution. Present at the meeting were SRH representatives Kiran, Saravanan, and Rohit Suresh. The discussions focused on re-establishing a mutual agreement on the distribution of complimentary passes.
According to a joint statement released by both parties, SRH insisted on adhering to the existing tri-party agreement with HCA and BCCI. The consensus was to maintain a limit of 3,900 complimentary passes, equivalent to 10% of the total stadium capacity. Eventually, both SRH and HCA agreed to continue the long-standing allocation system to avoid further conflict.
IPL Ticket Scam Fallout: A Dark Spot on IPL 2025
The IPL ticket scam adds a significant blemish to what was otherwise a smooth-running cricketing spectacle. While Sunrisers Hyderabad entered IPL 2025 with high hopes after finishing runners-up in 2024, their on-field performance failed to live up to expectations.
SRH ended their campaign in sixth place, with six wins, seven losses, and one no-result due to rain. They managed 13 points but finished with a net run rate of -0.241, missing out on playoff qualification.
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