Minutes before Ind vs Pak match, PCB slashes ticket prices but stands remain empty

COLOMBO: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) seems to have not learnt its lesson from the previous mistake. Exorbitant ticket prices for the India-Pakistan Group A match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on September 2 saw fans staying away from the contest. The prices were reduced a couple of days before the match but by then the damage had already been done as several stands and grass embankments were seen empty, which in fact is a rare sight especially when the two neighbours clash on the cricket field.

The PCB took it to another level during the Super Four match between the two arch-rivals here at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday. With thousands of tickets remaining unsold, the organisers decided to slash the ticket prices minutes before the commencement of the match. "Tickets prices for the C and D stands at the RPICS, Colombo, will be reduced for the ongoing Asia Cup Tournament games as follows: C & D Upper Block: 1,000 Sri Lankan Rupees per ticket; C & D Lower Block: Rs 500 per ticket. The price reduction is applicable for all the Super 4 Games, including today's India vs Pakistan game, which commences at 3 PM. at the RPICS, Colombo. The above reduction does not apply for the finals of the Asia Cup 2023," read a press statement issued by the organisers.

According to the official website selling the tickets, the price of a ticket for C and D Upper Block was earlier fixed at Rs 16,000. Similarly, it was fixed at Rs 3,200 for the Lower Block before the reduction. "The PCB is the host so it fixes the prices. The decision to reduce the ticket prices was also taken by the PCB. Only the PCB can say why a decision in this regard was taken so late," a Sri Lanka Cricket official told this daily.

Almost all the stands wore an empty look here at the R Premadasa Stadium. According to the official website, pcb.bookme.pk, the ticket price for Lower Block A & B is Rs 24,000 while it is Rs 48,000 for Upper Block A & B. The website also showed that 1803 seats were available at Lower Block A while 385 seats were vacant at Upper Block A at the start of the match. As many as 2221 seats were empty at Upper Block B and 2270 were not sold at the Lower Block B. A total of 3161 seats were shown empty at Lower Block C while 1557 seats were available at Upper Block C. In D block, 4114 Lower level seats were empty and 1642 Upper level seats were unsold. "The move is aimed at encouraging the locals to come to the ground," a PCB official told this daily. Speaking on the delay, he said, "Uncertainty over weather delayed the announcement but it will surely deliver results from the next match onwards."

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