FAISALABAD, Dec 7: A bogus-ticket scam, unearthed on the morning of the the second One-day International between Pakistan and West Indies at the Iqbal Stadium, left hundreds of spectators stranded and infuriated at the stadium gates here on Thursday.

The large crowd which thronged the stadium to watch the historic day-night game, were left bitterly disappointed when the gatekeepers, armed with detectors, denied them entry citing the fake status of tickets as the main reason for refusal.

Several disgruntled fans later told reporters that they had bought the tickets in black-market which ranged from Rs 400 to Rs 4000 but they later proved to be perfect counterfeits of the original.

According to the facts gathered by this correspondent, coloured photostats of the original tickets were sold to a number of fans by certain people who apparently made a whack on them for a cricket match that was destined to be a sell out affair.

Apart from the fake ones, the original tickets were also ‘blacked’ in hundreds after some resourceful parties managed to grab a huge number of tickets with the help of high ups in cricket board and the organisers.

Police resorted to baton charge to disperse angry fans who at one stage tried to muscle in into the stadium, arguing that they were in possession of absolutely ‘legitimate’ tickets for the game.

The police was also accused of accommodating its favourites and acquaintances without any checking.

As the fake tickets row erupted outside the stadium, critics and commentators appeared perplexed as to why the Taslim Arif and Hanif Mohammad and Ijaz Ahmed stands remained empty since a large crowd was constantly queuing-up outside.

According to an estimate, about 16,000 spectators were allowed to see match whereas Iqbal Stadium has a capacity of around 22,000 people. capacity.

Faisalabad correspondent adds: Indiscipline planning of the district administration and 'tight security' measures from police spoiled the day for cricket lovers those rushed to the Iqbal stadium to enjoy its first day and night fixture on Thursday.

A constant tug-of-war was witnessed outside the stadium between the spectators and police for the whole day. Fans from Jhang, Shorkot, Chiniot, Toba, Gojra and other areas travelled quite a distance to enjoy the match and watch the likes of Inzamam, Lara and Gayle in action. However, only few of them managed to enter the stadium while a majority of fans, despite having tickets of VIP enclosures, failed to make their way inside.

Local resident Azam Malik, who was allegedly slapped by a police constable at one of the stadium gates, said police treated cricket lovers like animals and “there was no option for us but to leave the venue