Synopsis
The tickets for the highly awaited showdown between India and Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 were sold out in just an hour. Over 150,000 fans logged in to secure their spots, demonstrating the immense popularity of this cricket rivalry.Key Takeaways
- Tickets for the India vs Pakistan match sold out rapidly.
- Over 150,000 fans queued online.
- The match is scheduled for February 23 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
- This ICC Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan and UAE.
- Hosts Pakistan are the defending champions.
Dubai, Feb 3 (NationPress) Tickets for the much-anticipated face-off between age-old rivals India and Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai were sold out in mere minutes after going live on Monday. The demand was so overwhelming that over 150,000 enthusiastic fans lined up online, leading to waiting times that surpassed an hour.
The eagerly awaited match between India and Pakistan is scheduled for February 23 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. This encounter is part of the group stage of the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will be conducted in a hybrid format across Pakistan and the UAE.
Both residents and cricket aficionados were left astonished by the huge demand for tickets to this marquee event.
Sudhashree, a local resident, remarked, "I expected a lengthy queue, but the rate at which tickets disappeared was astonishing. By the time I managed to secure mine, only two categories were available, both of which were outside my budget."
Fans stood in line for almost an hour, only to discover that tickets for the India-Pakistan encounter were sold out across nearly all categories, including the Dh2,000 Platinum and Dh5,000 Grand Lounge sections. The Dubai International Cricket Stadium has a capacity of 25,000 spectators, and the frantic race for tickets underscored the match’s enormous popularity and importance.
Traditionally, a clash between India and Pakistan not only captivates the cricket world but also stimulates economic activity. With expectations of a surge in visitors, industry analysts have forecasted increased activity in hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors, predicting a rise in hotel bookings and airfares as fans from both countries flock to Dubai for the occasion.
The two-week event will showcase the top eight teams competing in 15 matches over 19 days in Pakistan and the UAE. Group A includes Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B consists of Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.
Hosts Pakistan will enter the tournament as the defending champions after clinching the title in 2017 in England. They will kick off the 2025 tournament against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19. This tournament marks the first major international cricket event Pakistan will host since the Men’s ODI World Cup in 1996.
India and Australia are the most successful teams in the Champions Trophy, each having won it twice.
