Pentangular Cup fails to attract Karachiites

KARACHI: The Pentangular Cup under way at the National Stadium here has failed to attract large numbers of people despite free entry for school and college students and lucrative prizes for spectators.
The tournament has been shifted to the metropolis due to fog in most of the cities of Punjab.
A number of star cricketers, including Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Malik, are playing in the tournament but Karachi’s public, otherwise very energetic, fun-loving and cricket crazy, has given a lukewarm response.
The tournament is very important because the squad for the 2015 World Cup is to be selected on the basis of performances in it.
The PCB has ensured best security arrangements with the help of local administration and even established a medical aid camp. But on the first two days of the event, the number of administrative staff was higher than the spectators.
Former fast bowler Jalaluddin said PCB should ascertain why cricket fans were not coming to see the matches in which a number of star players were competing.
“It is worrying that youngsters are not coming to watch matches although winter vacations have been extended,” Jalal said.
He said that international matches were sold out easily, but domestic events required proper planning and application. “It is really very surprising that the people are not coming even though entry is free and prizes, including new motorbikes, are being distributed among the spectators through balloting,” he said.
He said that PCB’s marketing department should take the benefit of organising the tournament in Karachi.
KCCA secretary Shafiq Kazmi said that he had directed all seven zones and their clubs to send their players, friends and school and college students to the stadium.
He also said that PCB should seek ideas from cricket lovers about how to attract spectators.
Omar Associates CEO Nadeem Omar said he tried his best to attract people to the stadium through lucrative prizes on daily basis but the strategy didn’t work during the first two days.
Nadeem said it was pathetic and all cricket organisers must come forward with ideas to attract people.
Another cricket organiser said only Shahid Afridi can bring the spectators into the Stadium. “Whenever he appears in any local tournament tens of thousands reach NSK,” he said.
But Afridi is not playing in the tournament. The PCB should contact government and private schools’ principals, colleges and other educational institutions and ask them to send students to see the matches.
The new generation does not know the thrill and excitement of witnessing the matches while sitting in the stadium. International cricket is not happening here and people give little importance to domestic events.