50% Tickets Remain Unsold for Coveted India-Pakistan Clash Just 2 Days Before the Game as Organizers Slash Prices

Ten days after going on sale, tickets for the upcoming India-Pakistan 2025 Asia Cup clash have not sold out, indicating a surprising lack of fervor.

50% Tickets Remain Unsold for Coveted India-Pakistan Clash Just 2 Days Before the Game as Organizers Slash Prices

Half the tickets for the September 14 Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan have remained unsold. (via Hindustan Times)

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The 2025 Asia Cup is struggling to attract spectators, despite teams like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka being a part of the tournament in the UAE. Several reports indicate a lukewarm response from fans, with nearly fifty percent of the tickets for the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash still remaining unsold.

The two arch-rivals are scheduled to face each other in a thrilling group stage contest on September 14, which will be the first time they play each other, since the 2025 Champions Trophy clash at the Dubai International Stadium. The 2025 Asia Cup fixture will be played at the same venue in the T20I format, with the Indian team having started its campaign on a high note, winning its opener against the UAE.

The blockbuster clash between the two Asian cricketing giants, was expected to be a sold-out affair in Dubai. Ticket sales for the match began on August 29 through Platinumlist, with organizers hoping for an enthusiastic response from cricket fans in the UAE. However, as recent reports suggest, with just 48 hours left, around 50 percent of the tickets in the 25,000-seater stadium remain unsold, highlighting a clear lack of public excitement. 

Ticket prices for the group stage match started at approximately $13 (47 Dirhams), with prices increasing for better seats. While most of the lower-prized tickets have been sold, the remaining half of the seats are now available from $99 (363 Dirhams).

The organizers of the Asia Cup were forced to slash the prices of the available tickets, which were initially listed at $130, due to low demand. A number of premium seats, originally priced at $4,534 (16,651 Dirhams), also remain unsold.

The claims about a sluggish sale of tickets however, were debunked by the Emirates Cricket Board, which described the sales as ‘encouraging’. Nonetheless, the public sentiment against the India-Pakistan fixture is said to have played a role in the low sales. There have been calls for the match to be boycotted, in light of the strained bilateral relations between the two countries, following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. 

It remains to be seen whether the popularity of the two teams will be enough to fill the stands. The previous 2025 CT encounter between India and Pakistan in Dubai was a sell-out, with tickets for that match being snapped up in a record-breaking four minutes.

Ex-India Cricketer Slams Empty Stands for India-UAE Asia Cup Opener in Dubai

The 17th edition of the Asia Cup is underway, with all eyes set on whether the Indian T20I team manages to defend its crown in a new era without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While the Men in Blue kick-started its campaign with a victory over UAE, the low attendance in Dubai has left many concerned.

India UAE Empty Stands
Aakash Chopra slammed the empty stands at India’s 2025 Asia Cup opener against UAE, in Dubai. (via Mint)

The 25,000-seater Dubai International Stadium witnessed the defending Asia Cup champions cruised to a nine-wicket victory over the home side. However, the stands were sparsely filled, with ex-Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra pointing to the lack of excitement among the Indian cricket fans living in UAE, despite the team’s return to the white-ball format. The UAE is home to an Indian population of around 4 million.

On his YouTube channel, the 47-year-old stated that the expected buzz in Dubai was missing, even though the match was an important Asia Cup fixture and not a bilateral series. He further suggested that the subdued fan turnout could be attributed to issues with the timing and context of the 2025 Asia Cup, and also questioned the long-term viability of the Dubai International Stadium as a regular cricketing venue.

Aakash Chopra even sent a gentle warning to the organizers of the 2025 Asia Cup, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB). He suggested that for UAE to come up as a popular cricketing destination, they would need to attract local support rather than simply relying on expatriate communities from South Asia.

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