In a surprising twist, the Asia Cup 2023 officials found themselves astonished as the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match failed to attract many ticket buyers, even though they had offered significant discounts in Pallekele.
The vibrant atmosphere typically anticipated for a showdown between these subcontinent cricket giants was noticeably absent at the Pallekele International Stadium in Sri Lanka. Despite the expectations, the stadium featured numerous empty seats, including those on the grassy banks. This lower-than-expected turnout doesn’t suggest that local fans deserted the eagerly awaited India vs Pakistan match, but it did fall short of the usual anticipation for such a fierce rivalry.
The Asia Cup 2023 Group A match marked the first ODI encounter between India and Pakistan in four years, with their last 50-over face-off occurring in the 2019 ODI World Cup in England. Naturally, organizers anticipated a massive demand for tickets, if not a sold-out venue.
Traditionally, tickets for an India vs Pakistan cricket match, regardless of the location, sell out within minutes. However, in this instance, ticket sales continued into Friday with only a handful of takers. Understandably, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board expressed disappointment regarding the turnout.
As an SLC official mentioned, “As you can see, the tickets are not completely sold. In fact, ticket sales were still going on in Kandy and Colombo yesterday evening. The top-tier tickets in the Grand Stand were in short supply.”
Initially priced at USD 20 (approximately LKR 6400), the cheapest tickets were eventually reduced to LKR 1500, and LKR 2560 if purchased for both India’s matches against Pakistan and Nepal. Despite these price reductions, there was still no significant rush for the tickets, much to the surprise of some fans.
Varun Ghosh, a cricket aficionado who owns a business in Colombo, related his experience: “Tickets were readily available. In reality, I received the ticket in Colombo yesterday. We assumed that tickets would not be available because the game was between India and Pakistan. However, we are not complaining. After all, we can watch an India-Pakistan match without the frenzy that usually happens in India.”
Officials blamed the poor demand on a variety of circumstances, including weather delays during India’s innings. “It’s a little surprising,” said one official. I understand that individuals may find the Grand Stand tickets expensive (about LKR 64,000), however the Embankment tickets are reasonably priced. It’s also the weekend. It could also be because of the rain forecast for the game.”
While officials expressed disappointment, the lower-than-anticipated fan turnout also dismayed hotel owners and tour operators. Unlike the soaring hotel prices witnessed during India’s World Cup matches in Ahmedabad, rooms remained readily available in most hotels. This left the hospitality industry less busy than expected.
“We were getting ready for some big rush by the fans,” said the owner of a prominent hotel chain in the neighbourhood. We’ve witnessed how fans reacted to the India-Pakistan encounter. But we still have rooms available on our property, as do many other places.”
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