KARACHI, March 29: Cricket lovers paid double price for procuring World Cup 2011 green shirts on the eve of nerve-racking semi-final between Pakistan and India being played in Mohali on Wednesday. “In case Pakistan beat India then the prices of these garments will further go up phenomenally till the final of mega sports event in view of renewed demand from the cricket fans,” retailers said.

Seeing the arrival of cricket fans in larger numbers, clever retailers are fully cashing in on the situation and as a result the demand for world cup clothes has outstripped the supplies.

A T-shirt with a logo of ‘Boom Boom Afridi’ appears to be the most sought after item carrying a price tag of Rs1,500 on Tuesday as compared to Rs1,000 on Monday.

A retailer at Zainab Market said that the Boom Boom T-shirts (large size) had run out of stocks due to its high demand and he could manage only 20 pieces from the supplier who claimed that the T-shirt is a branded item.

Another retailer selling children T-shirts of other quality was seen demanding Rs700 as compared to Rs450 on Monday.

Some retailers were seen charging Rs450-600 for boys’ T-shirts which was earlier tagged at Rs350. “There is a lot of disparity in the quality of fabric and retailers are making heap of profit on both qualities. Irrespective of prices everything has now become a hot selling item owing to charged atmosphere caused by a crucial encounter between two cricket titans.

Many retailers, who run out of stocks, were selling T-shirts of previous world cup at Rs200 thus providing some relief to the low-income group consumers.

Almost all the retailers at Zainab Market said that owing to tussle between two arch rivals the rush of buyers had intensified as compared to 1992 World Cup.

They said that they had procured the T-shirts and trousers either from the producers in Karachi or in Sialkot. However, nobody was ready to disclose the actual sale volume and number of T-shirts since the World Cup fever had gripped the nation.

A T-Shirt buyer living in the DHA said that the retailers were showing no mercy in making instant profit. He added that some people were offering special delivery at home for Boom Boom Afridi T-shirts at Rs3,000.

People having surplus liquidity are turning to markets while there are many who could only pray for the team’s triumphant against India rather than to wear the green shirts on Wednesday.

Because of huge media hype, rising number of channels and hectic advertisement campaign by various companies, children are putting extra pressure on their parents to get them world cup green shirts.