PSL ticket mania grips twin cities

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Super League (PSL) 5th edition fever is running high in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as even those who never have watched cricket on mini screen are eager to be present at the Pindi Stadium for live action.

With the first ever PSL match to be played at the venue between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators on February 27, the excitement is at its peak as everyone in and around and even living in Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa is seen using all their resources to get hold of tickets. Some have already bought it; others are using connections to get a few.

“We are not being able to buy Rs1,000 tickets for the Pindi Stadium matches. They say that all tickets have been sold out. I have been running from pillar to post to buy one but to no avail. We have been waiting for the PSL matches for years now and when finally matches come home we are not getting opportunity to buy one,” Imtiaz Qureshi, one of the ardent cricket followers in Rawalpindi, called ‘The News’ office to register his concern.

He said he was not even able to buy one of any enclosure. “There are eight matches to be played at the Pindi Stadium. I wonder whether I would be able to watch even one match at any enclosure,” he said.

Ali Syed, a student from local university, said he was too excited when he learnt that Rawalpindi would host PSL matches. “All my excitement has turned into worry. I am not sure whether I will be in a position to get ticket to watch live action at the stadium,” he said.

A shopkeeper at G-9 Market was even ready to pay extra for tickets. “Look we love cricket and especially PSL that kept us waiting for four years. It is obvious that crowd wants to throng stadium for the live action. What worries us is we are not getting any ticket. Despite all our efforts, we have been unable to get any,” he said.

As Pindi Stadium is situated at the border of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, crowd usually throngs from all directions for action. “Whenever a match is being played here it is always difficult to even reach the venue for matches. Even people having no access to tickets are seen in the past during Test matches romping around the stadium in a hope to get access to the stadium. I plead to those having no tickets not to come to the stadium as this way they would create troubles for others,” Atif Haider, who is the lucky one having two Pindi Stadium tickets, said.

‘The News’ has also learnt that some VIPs have already got hold of good number of tickets. Majority of these were purchased well in time and very thin quality was left for the sale in open. Even those handling sale of these tickets kept a good number for themselves, their friends and relatives making it increasingly impossible for the general public to purchase the tickets from outlets.