KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28: The fans are just not turning up to watch the World Cup. Even when hosts Malaysia played India Wednesday, several sections of the National Stadium remained empty.

It should be a source of worry for the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF). But again they are only themselves to blame for high pricing of tickets that has seen only a handful of spectators coming in.

The tickets that range in price from RM 61 (about US $18) to RM 40 (US $11) are being sold on a sessions basis and are valid for two to three matches. Those for a session having just one game are available from RM 22 to RM 16.

However the MHF claims that the empty terraces do not portray a true picture of the tickets sold but whatever be the selling procedure, the bottom-line is that not enough people are watching hockey.