Cricket-starved fans in Pakistan are looking for tickets to the PSL final

Cricket is finally all set to resume in Pakistan, irrespective of some of the star players from the Quetta Gladiators having opted to not travel to Lahore for the finals. And the fans, who have always supported their teams playing in the UAE on the television, are justifiably very excited. But, unfortunately, only a lucky few will get to watch the game live.

PSL organizers claimed that 10,000 tickets of the 27,000-capacity Gaddafi Stadium will be sold for $5 for the final. The remaining tickets were priced at $38, $76 and $114. “I came to the bank as early as 6:30 a.m. and after seven hours I got hold of a ($5) ticket,” Ali Hussain, a 22-year-old businessman told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

“We went to at least five branches but couldn’t find even one ticket,” said Faiza Tasleem, a university student. Tasleem was accompanied by her nine university friends, but none of them was successful in getting a ticket. While buying the tickets, every buyer has to show his or her original National Identity Card for security precautions.

“We are not going to get disheartened, there are still three days to go and we hope to get the ticket for the Sunday’s final,” said Tasleem, whose favorite team Quetta Gladiators qualified for the final.

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The female fan is not disappointed with the star players of her favorite team backing out from playing the finals. “Whosoever plays for Quetta we will support them,” Tasleem said. “We want to show the world that we are sports-loving people and we want cricket back home on our own grounds.”

Even though utmost security has been promised to every visiting player, some still chose safety over cricket and ruled themselves out of the grand finale which is scheduled to be played this Sunday, March 5.