Many Indians don’t just like cricket; they are particularly fond of their cricket team, especially when they’re winning! India is dampening the excitement of the most thrilling event in cricket. There were hardly 200 spectators in the opening match of World Cup 2023 between England and New Zealand. The sight of an empty stadium for the very first match is quite telling. We have two strong teams, with one being the reigning champion and the other as the runner-up from the last edition, yet the stadium remains empty.
Disappointing to see World Cup opening in front of just a few hundred spectators in Ahmedabad. Very disappointing.
Shoaib Akhtar
I’m also glad India didn’t get to play any warm-up matches. It might not be a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but still…
I’m perfectly fine with watching BCCI make themselves look foolish. Obviously. Can you imagine a full house at Lord’s for SA vs NZ? Can you imagine a full house in Melbourne for BAN vs ENG? Or can you imagine a full house in Centurion for ENG vs AUS? Nowhere in the world would this happen. Not even 5000 people were there in the noon. That wouldn’t have happened anywhere. Again, noon in India or Sri Lanka is quite different from elsewhere. I’ve seen empty stands during big tournaments also. Considering they have holidays. Here, it’s a working day plus the heat in Ahmedabad. But still, it was the World Cup opener match. My opinion still stands. It’s exceptional. Imagine the India vs Pakistan match coming up. For Indians, it’s not just a sport, but a matter of nationalism.
It’s being said that tickets were sold late. How are outsiders supposed to plan their trip? This is a fault on the part of BCCI and the organizers. Also, free tickets were handed over to women telling them that it was an India and Pakistan match on going inside.
