KARACHI, April 20: There has been a less than enthusiastic response to the first one-day international between Pakistan and New Zealand as the sale of tickets has been disappointing.

Contrary to the claims of the match organizers, information provided by Allied Bank, reveals that only Rs6.5million tickets had been sold. The organizers said Rs1million tickets were sold on the opening day Monday.

According to information, tickets for Rs3.7million were sold on Friday while tickets for Rs1.2million were sold on Saturday.

The first-ever one-dayer under lights at Karachi 17 months ago had earned Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Rs9.9million.

Although the Rs50 general enclosure and Rs100 Senior Citizen enclosure is a sold out, tickets for Rs1,000, Rs700 and Rs500 enclosures are still available.

Allied Bank, in an effort to increase the sale of tickets, has reversed its decision and has decided that tickets will be available at the booth outside the National Stadium on match day. Tickets will be available between 10.00am and 2.00pm.

The organizers of the match, along with the officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), were sitting with their heads together wondering if tomorrow’s match would be a full house.

But they didn’t have to wait long to get the answer when an official of the National Stadium got hold of an individual who had a bunch of duplicate tickets. He was arrested while trying to sell a forged Rs500 ticket at a cheaper rate.

The duplication of the ticket was proved by the larger size of the ticket along with the garbled Excise stamp.

“We have reasons to believe that duplicate tickets have been sold. We will try to curb the entry of people with invalid tickets but frankly speaking, it cannot be cent percent,” a National Stadium official said.

Different theories have cropped up within the PCB boardroom regarding the disappointing interest of the cricket crazy fans of the city.

“I don’t think with the economic state of the country that has affected everyone, anyone can afford the luxury of Rs5000 recreation for seven hours. I mean no body likes to come alone and wants a company that could be his four-member family or even friends,” officials opined.

The other argument is that a depleted and injury-stricken New Zealand has failed to attract the public. “Wherever you go, Pakistan are billed as easy winners in the series. Public believes it’s a mismatch and thus, it would be better to stay back at home and watch the game on television,” the official added.

The debate ended when one of the officials said Sunday would be a full house as there will be more free entrants than paid spectators.

“The fans would do anything to enter the stadium. They could even bribe the people at the entry gates to get through.”