India-Pakistan Asia Cup match: Despite ticket price cut, near-empty stands. Why?

As the Asia Cup Super 4 match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan got underway at Colombo one thing was missing: The crowd. Despite it being a weekend and a cut in ticket prices, spectators stayed away. The organisers were expecting to see a good turnout as Colombo has a good representation of Indians and Pakistanis. In fact, back in 2012, during the World T20 game between the same teams, the Premadasa Stadium was jam-packed.

India-Pakistan games, wherever they are played, have been mostly jam-packed throughout the better part of the last decade.

The local administrators were understandably disappointed despite them not having any financial stake in the match, as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is the official host.


Sri Lanka cricket board has reduced ticket prices for the Super 4 Games, including today’s India vs. Pakistan game Tickets prices for the C and D stands at the RPICS, Colombo, have been brought down: to C & D Upper Block: Rs. 1000 per ticket and C & D Lower Block: Rs. 500 per ticket. The reduction in ticket prices is only for the Super 4 matches of the Asia cut, not the finals.

"With the rain staying away, we were expecting a good turnout. But tickets are still available offline and online. In fact, the ticket rate too has been slashed but we are yet to see a big rush. Hopefully, it will pick up," a Sri Lanka cricket board official told PTI.

The Super 4 match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on Saturday too saw several empty spaces in the stands.

Another official said that because of the rain prediction, the crowd might might have stayed away. As if on cue, rains have interrupted the match after India had scored 147/2 off 24.1 overs.

"It is tough to organise cricket matches in Sri Lanka at this time of the year as it rains there more often than not. But then, a decision has been made and now we have to go ahead," the official told PTI.

He said the speculation over a possible venue shift also might have affected the sale of tickets.

"Then there were all those talks about shifting the venue (from Colombo to Hambantota) of Super 4 matches and the final. Obviously, people will be apprehensive to come forward and buy tickets," he added.