“Cricket World Cup 2023 Controversy: Unveiling the Shocking Empty Seats Debacle and Anticipating a Thrilling Hyderabad Showdown!”
As the much awaited event gets underway in Ahmedabad with many seats unfilled, cricket fans are venting their frustration with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 organisers in India. at a nation where cricket is not only a sport but also a kind of worship, this event—hosted at the largest cricket stadium in the world—was hailed as the cricket extravaganza of the year. Last Thursday, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 began in India, but only a small portion of the stadium’s seats—which could hold at least 120,000 spectators—were occupied.
Cricket fans were perplexed by the size of the empty saffron-colored seats during the England-New Zealand match at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, which will be renamed after the Indian Prime Minister in 2021. Cricket enthusiasts expressed their shock on social media. “Where’s the crowd?” a tweet by England women’s cricketer Danni Wyatt on X (previously Twitter) reflected the general feeling. Her Indian counterpart, Jemimah Rodrigues, responded by speculating that the supporters would be conserving their vigour for India’s game against Pakistan on Saturday, October 14.
Concerns have been voiced by spectators regarding the tournament’s schedule and ticketing procedure. Less than six weeks before the first game, on August 25, the first batch of tickets went on sale, making it impossible for out-of-town spectators to make plans. Cricket fans from India told Al Jazeera that they had given up on the idea of cheering for their side at home, despite having been anxiously anticipating the chance to see the largest event in their nation. An experienced sports fan named Vipul Yadav called the ticketing procedure “nonsensical,” emphasising that such difficulties are unheard of in other countries.
Only a few hundred spectators from each of the competing nations were seen as the England vs. New Zealand match began. Jay Shah, the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), decided to take up at least one extra seat, sitting among cheering and perplexed spectators during England’s innings. Even while local supporters eventually filled certain seats as the game went on, the overall turnout was far from half full.
During the match commentary, former India captain Ravi Shastri suggested that the absence of India from the opening game may have been a big contributing factor to the local spectators’ apparent lack of enthusiasm.
It’s interesting to note that the tournament’s opening game did not feature the host country for the first time in 27 years. Ironically, the previous time this occurred, the same teams were playing at the same location at an Indian World Cup, but it was then called as the Motera Stadium.
The tournament winner’s trophy was carried by Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as he entered the field before the game and waved at the sparse audience. Later, Tendulkar made an effort to explain the local fans’ admiration for foreign cricket players by promising to “make it a special event for all players.” Online criticism, though, persisted.
Manya, an Indian cricket enthusiast and writer, emphasised that building the biggest stadium in the world doesn’t guarantee efficient sports administration. The lack of a formal opening ceremony was another deviation from convention. Instead, a captains’ news conference that was conducted the day before formally proclaimed the competition open.
A day before the first game, the ICC declared that “Captains’ Day kicks off ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in style.” Fans compared it to the 2011 version that was held in the subcontinent and featured performances by some of the biggest musicians in the area at the opening ceremony.
As the tournament moves to the south Indian city of Hyderabad, where India’s neighbor Pakistan faces the Netherlands in their first match, anticipation remains high despite the challenges faced in Ahmedabad. Pakistan’s contingent received a warm welcome from the local crowd upon landing in India last week. Pakistan captain Babar Azam, expressing optimism, stated that he expected Indian fans to support Pakistan despite decades of tense ties between the two countries. Azam shared with reporters, “Most of our matches are sold out, which means Indian fans are eager to see us and support us in the stadiums.” The upcoming match at the 39,000-capacity Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad is expected to draw substantial crowds, raising hopes for a more vibrant and engaged atmosphere in the subsequent matches.