“Cricket is nothing short of a religion in India.” As everyone and their uncles know, that overused cliche applies ONLY if Team India is playing; and even more so if the Boys in Blue are facing off against Pakistan.
As for the rest of it, it was on full display Thursday as the ICC World Cup 2023 kicked off on an underwhelming note attendance wise at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with New Zealand kickstarting their campaign with a mammoth, one-sided victory over defending champions England.
While 47,000 was the official attendance figures dished out by the BCCI, just how many tickets were given away free was not revealed. For the record, 132,000 is the stated capacity of the stadium.
And what of the viewership on the Star network and Disney+ Hotstar? The data is yet to be released but intuitively, it would be NOT be a big surprise if the viewership on air was reflective of the attendance on ground
That of course is not the case for the upcoming India-Pakistan high-stakes clash, scheduled for October 14. Primary ticket outlets reported complete sellouts within just one hour on two specific dates: August 29 and September 3. The secondary market for ticket sales has also seen considerable demand and a remarkable spike in prices.
In Ahmedabad, nearly all hotels and guests houses have been sold out, as more than 30,000 people from out of station are expected to arrive to watch the match.
Special Vande Bharat Trains
For those who have not yet secured travel tickets for this marquee match, Indian Railways has a solution.
Indian Railways is set to operate special Vande Bharat trains to Ahmedabad, offering relief to fans and easing their travel plans, top sources informed News18.
These special trains from the neighbouring states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra will facilitate travel for those attending the match at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. The itinerary of the train service adds an extra layer of convenience.
“A timetable has been set so that the train arrives in Ahmedabad a few hours before the match begins, allowing passengers to return to their home destinations once the contest concludes,” a senior official was quoted as saying by News18.
The move aims to counter the problems of high airfares, limited accommodation, and inflated hotel rates, said the official. The rationale behind running these trains is to enable people to return home after the match concludes.
“Trains departing from these special locations will make stops at Sabarmati and Ahmedabad stations, both of which are conveniently located near the Narendra Modi Stadium,” added the source.
Indian Railways also plans to enhance the journey experience, from playing patriotic songs to recreating iconic cricket moments from earlier matches between arch-rivals India and Pakistan. Special merchandise is also planned to be distributed.
Uber Camper service
Since hotels in Ahmedabad are completely booked for this high-voltage clash, Uber has come up with a very unique contest to ensure accommodation for a select few cricket fans. To win a stay in Uber Camper – Uber has launched a social media contest from October 4-7 where cricket fans have to post their pictures holding a placard with details on how they plan to support Team India.
