India beat Sri Lanka by over 300 runs on Sunday, the highest victory margin in the 50-over format. Here’s what led to a record low attendance at the Kerala cricket stadium.
Thiruvananthapuram,UPDATED: Jan 17, 2023 02:13 IST
The half-empty stands at the Thiruvananthapuram stadium visible in the backdrop as the Indian team celebreates its win over Sri Lanka (Credits: PTI)
By Vivek Rajagopal: India beat Sri Lanka by 317 runs in Kerala’s Greenfield stadium, scripting cricket history on Sunday. But empty stands at the stadium also made headlines.
So what led to the low turnout when India played Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram?
One of the reasons is a boycott campaign against the sports minister.
Minister V Abdurahiman had claimed that those who are starving should not go to the stadium to watch the match. His remarks came against the backdrop of high ticket prices. At Sunday’s game, only 6,201 of a total of 40,000 seats were sold out.
Recently, the Kerala government raised the entertainment tax from 5 to 12 per cent, thereby increasing the ticket prices for cricket matches. Many people pointed out that the entry fee to the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata was Rs 600, whereas it was Rs 1400 in Thiruvananthapuram.
After his remarks drew flak, the minister later justified by saying that ticket sales were low since Sri Lanka was a weaker opponent.
The other reasons for the low turnout can be attributed to the fact that India had already won the series and it was Pongal, the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu. Also, the Sabarimala pilgrimage season has begun. All these are being considered as reasons for low attendance.
Kerala Cricket Council president Jayesh George is of the opinion that low turnout will affect the state’s bid to host a World Cup match.
Reacting to boycott trends, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said they should have boycotted the minister and not the match, as it will affect the future of Thiruvananthapuram as a cricket destination.
The minister, after finding himself in the eye of the storm, pointed out various other factors, such as the game not being a T20I and the extreme heat, for the low attendance.
Read | India vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli hits 46th ODI hundred, breaks Sachin Tendulkar’s home record in Thiruvananthapuram
