KARACHI: The deserted look that the National Bank Stadium presented during the matches between Pakistan and West Indies Women’s teams should be a matter of concern both for the PCB and the provincial administration.
Why aren’t the fans coming to see the matches despite free entry? During the coverage of the three ODI matches and the first T20I, a survey by The News noticed that there was no cheering. Instead, there was complete silence even on the fall of wickets, good pieces of fielding or good batting display. Only stadium employees, security officials and media persons were present on the occasion.
It is also surprising that no one in the PCB and the provincial government is noticing the issue that the young generation in Karachi is avoiding international-level sports activities despite cricket being the country’s most popular game, as well as a source of entertainment. Is it the attitude of security officials, or the lack of facilities in the stadium or something else? And more shocking is the attitude of those in the echelons of power as no attempt has been made by them to invite and attract the fans to the stadium as millions of rupees are spent in arranging these matches.
It is pertinent to mention that several educational institutes including Khatoon e Pakistan College, Bahria University, Aga Khan University, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College and Indus University are a stone’s throw away from the National Bank Stadium, but no efforts to bring young masses from them have been made.
Even there is no harm if PCB and the provincial sports ministry try to bring the deprived people into society as orphans and disabled ones to provide them with some enjoyment and activity.
But unfortunately, no one is thinking of such initiatives despite the fact such type of practices have remained a part of our society in the past. Now, in the remaining T20I matches, the PCB and provincial sports ministry should think about taking the aforementioned steps to resolve the issue of attendance at the stadium.