The first T20I between Pakistan and West Indies at National Stadium in Karachi exposed lack of planning of the PCB. The enclosures named after Nasim-ul-Ghani and Iqbal Qasim had very few spectators.
This was the first international cricket match in Karachi after a gap of nine years.
It was surprising to see that the first T20I was played on Sunday which is the day off for most people and still the tickets of these two enclosures were not sold out. It seems nearly impossible that a large number of citizens will come to see the remaining two matches on April 2 and 3, which are working days.
Informed sources said that prices of both enclosures were too high due to which the middle class and the lower middle class people did not come. These two used to be included among the general enclosures.
When this scribed asked PCB officials why both the enclosures were empty, they had no answer.
The media persons were also surprised because only a few days back, buying the tickets of the PSL final for any enclosure was one of the most difficult things.
The PCB had claimed that all tickets of the T20I series had been sold. But the scenes at the stadium on Sunday belied its claim.
The PCB high ups should take concrete steps to attract spectators. First, they must cut the prices of both enclosures.
And they must allow at least women, children and elderly people to take water bottles and snacks with them so that there is an environment of recreation. Otherwise the efforts of PCB to revive international cricket in Pakistan will get a jolt.