KARACHI, March 6: The first signs of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)'s mismanagement ahead of next week's opening One-day International between Pakistan and India surfaced on Saturday when irate cricket fans turned unruly after being told that the match tickets would be available for sale from Sunday.

According to details available with Dawn, the situation became ugly when police started abusing the public, several of whom were injured in scuffles which lasted several hours.

The stadium-based PCB officials shied away from commenting on the incident.

According to eye-witnesses about a thousand people had gathered at the National Stadium premises on early Saturday morning to buy tickets for the historic encounter.

But after learning that the sale of tickets was not scheduled to commence until Sunday morning, starting from 9.00am, the fans became enraged and started pelting stones at cars parked inside the stadium and at passing vehicles on the road.

A number of people suffered injuries as the police, stationed at the stadium, restored to baton charge in order to disperse the crowd.

Furious at the rowdy behaviour of the police and some of the National Stadium staff, a few fans chanted slogans against the PCB and the law-enforcing agencies. They blamed the authorities for misguiding them.

"I was under the impression that the tickets were to be sold on Saturday. But when I arrived at the main gate of the stadium very early this morning then only I came to know that tickets will be available from Sunday," an enthusiast from faraway Landhi lamented.

Another said that he had taken a day off from work so that he could buy tickets for himself and his family.

"This is absolutely absurd on part of the match organizers. At least, they should have decency to inform the public well in advance regarding the availability of tickets," he pointed out in anger. "I had to take leave from office to buy the tickets. But now I'm not sure whether I should come again tomorrow."

A cricket fan, residing in North Karachi, blamed the PCB for creating confusion which led to the unpleasant situation.

"The cricket board should have planned things accordingly. In the first instance, we came to know that the tickets will be put up for sale on March 4. Then it became March 6 (which was Saturday). Why did the (PCB) officials take so long to advertise the sale of tickets," he asked.

So far 20 per cent of tickets had already sold through online services on the Internet. Given the tremendous interest in the Pakistan-India clash, the remaining 80 per cent is likely to be grabbed up by eager cricket enthusiasts within hours once the three booths at the National Stadium begin their operation on Sunday.