RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium once again proved why it stands as one of Pakistan’s most vibrant cricketing venues -- a sea of fans, chants echoing through the Potohar valley, and an atmosphere electric with emotion as cricket fever gripped the city ahead of the opening T20 International between Pakistan and South Africa.
The stadium, bursting at its seams, showcased the region’s deep passion for cricket and, at the same time, reinforced the need for a modern, larger-capacity international venue in the twin cities.
According to officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) marketing wing, around 18,000 tickets were sold for the match, with every single seat taken hours before the action peaked. “When it comes to ticket sales, all available tickets have been sold. Around 17,800 were officially put on sale, all snapped up in no time. Additionally, nearly 2,000 were reserved for sponsors, corporate partners, and special guests,” a PCB marketing official confirmed.
The sheer magnitude of public interest turned the stadium surroundings into a festival of cricket. Fans thronged the venue well before sunset, waving flags, donning green shirts, and chanting for their heroes. The return of Babar Azam, Pakistan’s premier batter after a nine-month absence from T20 cricket was at the heart of the frenzy.
“We are thrilled to see Babar back in action. He’s our pride, one of the finest T20 players in the world,” said Farooq Sohail, a local club cricketer, as he made his way to the stadium with a group of friends. “It was shocking when he was dropped from the format last year, but now that he’s back, we wouldn’t miss this for anything.” Many fans voiced a collective sentiment that Rawalpindi deserved more than one T20 in the series, citing the city’s unmatched energy and accessibility.
“Rawalpindi Stadium should have hosted at least two matches,” remarked Faisal Suleman, another cricket enthusiast. “It’s ideally located between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Given the response from fans, the PCB should reconsider its scheduling strategy. And more importantly, it’s high time we have a world-class 50,000-capacity stadium in Islamabad. We’ve been hearing promises for years, now we need action.”
As the gates opened, the atmosphere turned carnival-like. Families, children, and die-hard fans filled the stands, waving placards in support of their favorite stars. The chants of ‘Pakistan JeeteGa’ reverberated across the stands, setting the tone for what promised to be an enthralling series.