The second cricket Test between arch-rivals India and Pakistan next week has failed to enthuse fans in this otherwise sports-crazy city due to the ongoing school and college exams and hot weather. Barely 5,000 of the 40,000 tickets up for sale for the general public were sold in the first two days at the 90,000-capacity Eden Gardens where the Test starts on Wednesday, the Cricket Association of Bengal said.
"It's not normal for Calcutta," said an official from the association, which is hosting the event.
"Tickets are usually sold out in hours. Probably the examinations, hot weather and an overdose of international cricket has something to do with it," he said.
The Test will be the third international cricket match in the city in four months after the one-day international against Pakistan on November 13 and the Test against South Africa two weeks later.
Calcutta was allotted the match by default after Indian cricket authorities conceded to Pakistan's demand to shift the Test out of Ahmedabad, the main city in the western state of Gujarat where at least 2,000 people were killed in bloody Muslim-Hindu religious riots in 2002.
Comments
Comments are closed.