Muttiah Muralitharan, the former Sri Lankan spinner, has taken a criticalstance against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for their decision to setexorbitantly high ticket prices for the much-anticipated India and Pakistanmatches during the 2023 Asia Cup. His concerns were expressed regarding theunreasonably steep costs of tickets, and he squarely placed the blame onPCB for this situation. Muralitharan pointed out that it was the PCB whohad determined these prices, as they were the hosts of the Asia Cup thatyear.
Furthermore, Muralitharan highlighted the financial crisis currently facedby Sri Lanka, which compounded the issue. The ticket prices, initially setat a significantly high rate, were only reduced just before the India vs.Pakistan match in Colombo. However, Muralitharan stressed that suchlast-minute adjustments were insufficient.
Ticket prices ranged from a staggering 6000 Sri Lankan Rupees and soaredupwards. To witness the game from the grandstands, it would cost anastounding 40,000 to 50,000 Sri Lankan Rupees, equivalent to an averageperson’s monthly salary. This exorbitant pricing, he argued, placed thematches beyond the reach of most Sri Lankans.
Despite Sri Lanka’s traditionally passionate cricket fan base, Muralitharanlamented that the high ticket costs had deterred many from attending thematches. He pointed out that, under normal circumstances, Sri Lankanstadiums would be packed to the brim with eager spectators whenever a matchtook place.
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People genuinely wanted to be part of the excitement and watch theirfavorite teams play. Still, the exorbitant ticket prices acted as asignificant barrier to their participation, even during matches featuringthe home team, such as the Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh game.
Adding to the factors affecting attendance, Muralitharan noted that theweather forecast predicting rain ahead of the India and Pakistan Group Amatch further discouraged potential ticket buyers. This combination ofunaffordable prices and weather concerns resulted in near-empty stadiumsfor some of the most anticipated cricket matches, a disappointing outcomefor both fans and the sport itself