Pak vs Ban: PCB offers free entry to Rawalpindi Stadium for remaining days of first Test

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced free entry for spectators to watch the remaining days of the first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The PCB's announcement came on Friday after the visitors ended the third day of the Test at 316-5, trailing the hosts by 132 runs.

Eager to perform and strengthen their position on the points table, the two teams are playing Test matches as part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced free entry for spectators for the remaining days (fourth and fifth) of the first Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium,” the board said in a statement.

“The decision was made keeping in view of the weekend, which will allow families and students to turn up in maximum numbers to support their cricketing stars and witness action between the two sides.

“Spectators are required to bring their original CNIC or B-form to enter the stadium and they will be able to watch the action free of cost from any of the VIP enclosures (Imran Khan and Javed Miandad) (for families only) and premium enclosures (Miran Baksh, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, and Yasir Arafat).

“The free entry policy does not apply for the tickets purchased for the PCB Gallery or Platinum Box.”

The cricket board has also decided that it will refund the money in full to those who bought tickets over the last two days. It further said that those who bought tickets online will automatically get their full refund to the credit or debit cards used for the purchase.

It should be mentioned that the cricket board has shifted the second Test from Karachi to Rawalpindi as renovations and upgradation work continues at the National Stadium.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali, Khurram Shahzad

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana