Ticket Shock: Why India-Pakistan Asia Cup Clash Hasn’t Sold Out Yet
Quick Summary
- Tickets for India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 clash in Dubai on Sept 14 not fully sold out.
- Organisers’ new ‘package system’ forces fans to buy tickets for 7 matches instead of a single game.
- Fans unhappy as package excludes Super Fours and Final.
- Netizens demand single-match tickets closer to the date.
For years, whenever India and Pakistan have locked horns on the cricket field, tickets have sold like hotcakes. Yet, in a rare twist, the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 clash between the arch-rivals in Dubai on September 14 has not witnessed a full sell-out. The reason? A controversial ‘package system’ introduced by the organisers.
Traditionally, fans could purchase tickets exclusively for the much-anticipated India-Pakistan encounter. But this year, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has rolled out a bundled system where fans must buy tickets for seven group-stage matches as part of one package. While the idea was meant to boost attendance for non-marquee matches, it appears to have backfired badly.
Fans from both India and Pakistan, along with global cricket enthusiasts, have voiced frustration on social media. Many argue that the steep pricing of the package, coupled with the absence of Super Four and Final matches, has made the bundle unattractive. “If knockout games were included, the package would have made sense. Without them, it’s just not worth it,” lamented one disgruntled supporter on X (formerly Twitter).
Netizens have also urged organisers to release single-match tickets closer to the fixture. Calls for “fair pricing” and “flexible booking options” are gaining momentum as cricket’s fiercest rivalry inches closer.
The controversy comes amid a tense backdrop. Earlier this year, terror attacks in Pahalgam had created uncertainty about India’s participation in the Asia Cup. A section of Indian fans even demanded the BCCI boycott the tournament. However, the fixture was later confirmed after India’s central government clarified that while bilateral cricket with Pakistan remains off the table, multinational tournaments will continue as per policy.
From a cricketing standpoint, the stakes remain sky-high. India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A, alongside hosts UAE and Oman, while Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong form Group B. The matches will be split between the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Despite the ticketing row, the India-Pakistan showdown is still expected to draw packed crowds at the Dubai venue. After all, history shows that fans rarely miss an opportunity to witness one of the sport’s most electrifying rivalries. But with organisers under fire, whether they revise the ticketing model in the coming weeks could be crucial to avoiding half-empty stands for the “mother of all cricket battles.”
