Sparse attendance shadows non-India matches at Ekana Stadium

LUCKNOW The riveting encounter between India and Pakistan at Ahmedabad last Saturday night painted the town blue, with an astounding 1,30,000 fans converging inside the Narendra Modi Stadium. Likewise, the upcoming match at Lucknow’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium, scheduled for October 29, is poised to emulate this spectacle as host India takes on defending champions England.

Anticipation for this faceoff has reached a fever pitch, with approximately 50,000 fervent supporters expected to flood the stadium in support of the Men in Blue. Yet, it’s a different story when it comes to matches not featuring the Indian cricket team.

The presence of fans in the stadium during non-India matches is notably sparse. While around 10,000 spectators attended the match between five-time champions Australia and South Africa on a Thursday, the Monday clash between Australia and Sri Lanka saw only a few hundred in attendance at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium.

Among the few hundred present, a mix of Sri Lankan and Australian supporters, along with local fans, gathered to witness a significant encounter between two former champions. Most of the attendees secured ‘free’ passes for this encounter. The boxes in both the South and North Zones appeared desolate, with fans in short supply.

Nevertheless, a select few enthusiasts have secured tickets for all five matches, ensuring they don’t miss a moment of World Cup action. Two close friends, Naina and Chanchal Singh, epitomized this spirit as they cheered from their seats in the lower block of Zones 1 and 2, passionately celebrating every moment within the 70-yard boundary of the Ekana Stadium.

Naina, a professional beautician, shared, “It’s the World Cup, and with Lucknow hosting five matches, we’ve committed to attend all of them because we can’t afford to miss any action.”

However, not every cricket enthusiast in Lucknow shares the same fortune. Rizwan Ahmed, a cricket player from Aminabad, expressed his frustration at failing to secure tickets for the highly-anticipated India-England match on October 29. He lamented, “For the past four years, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the chance to watch India play in Lucknow, and now that the match is here, I find myself ticketless.” Ahmed, who also plays for a local club, clarified that he sought reasonably priced tickets, yet the ICC, BCCI, and local stadium authorities seemed to have overlooked arrangements for affordable ticket options.

He continued, “I can’t afford luxury boxes but desire an affordable ticket. It’s perplexing why tickets aren’t available for manual purchase, enabling fans like me to acquire a ticket for the India match.”

Rizwan is not alone in his outcry; many young fans in Lucknow share his frustration with the ICC’s ticketing policy. Shanu Tandon said, “Not everyone can navigate the complexities of booking tickets on a social site, and the process should be more accessible. Manual ticket sales at the stadium should be an option for fans who prefer a straightforward process.” He questioned the rationale of hosting a World Cup match in Lucknow if local fans find themselves deprived of tickets and called upon the ICC to announce ticket sales for India’s match in Lucknow through the stadium’s booking counter.

As cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the upcoming World Cup matches, addressing ticketing challenges will be pivotal to ensure a broader fan base can actively participate in this grand sporting spectacle.