The Narendra Modi stadium which boasts a seating capacity of 132,000, was seen practically empty with a large number of unoccupied seats. The photos and the videos of the empty stadium soon went viral on social media.
Many took at X (fka Twitter) to share the clips depicting the empty stands.
Disappointing to see World Cup opening in front of just a few hundred spectators in Ahmedabad. Very disappointing #ENGvsNZ | #ENGvNZ | #CWC23#NarendraModiStadium pic.twitter.com/VKtsWrdjXh
October 5, 2023I understand the fact that it's afternoon with high intensity of heat but the thing is wc is celebrated like a festival in India which comes after every 4 years but still the stadium is empty.#BCCI#ENGvsNZ #icccricketworldcup2023 #ICCCricketWorldCup #NarendraModiStadium pic.twitter.com/8Cr28I1uCt
October 5, 2023Opening ceremony was cancelled for obvious reasons. #CricketWorldCup2023 #NarendraModiStadium pic.twitter.com/WSEMForshW
October 5, 2023Weekday hai log office gaye hai bacchey school collage jo free hai wo log ghar mein match dekh rahey #NarendraModiStadium
October 5, 2023very very disappointing moment for BCCI 🏏 First Match and Stadium is empty from 4 of sides . They claim they love cricket 🏏 #icccricketworldcup2023 #ODIWorldCup2023 #NZvsENG #ENGvsNZ shame on #BCCI #NarendraModiStadium pic.twitter.com/9NTe6YIbQ3
October 5, 2023Empty stadium. Its first match between #ENGvNZ . What's the reason guys? Is ODIs games are not intresting enough? #NarendraModiStadium #WorldCup #WorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/8gzMW5voCO
October 5, 2023Stadiums will sport a deserted look when you price tickets exorbitantly. #ENGvNZ #ENGvsNZ #NZvsENG #NZvENG #BACKTHEBLACKCAPS #blackcaps #NarendraModiStadium #Ahmedabad #ICCWorldCup2023 #CWC2023
October 5, 2023While some netizens blamed the exorbitant prices of the tickets, some complained about the heat and Thursday being a working day.
India legend Virender Sehwag also took cognizance of the empty stands and mentioned that arrangements should be made where school and college students are allowed to watch the match from the stadium free of cost.
Hopefully after office hours, there should be more people coming in. But for games not featuring Bharat, there should be free tickets for school and college children. With the fading interest in 50 over game, it will definitely help that youngsters get to experience a World Cup…
October 5, 2023LOL this is just embarrassing at this point. Toss for the opening game of the WC happening in front of a completely empty stadium pic.twitter.com/qyCGV3uLpc
October 5, 2023Liftoff in the Cricket World Cup - shame about all the empty seats pic.twitter.com/eNvuzHoWtr
October 5, 2023Security For First Match
About 3,500 police personnel were deployed at Narendra Modi stadium in the Motera area and other parts of Ahmedabad during the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup on October 5. These police personnel, including traffic personnel, will be on duty inside and outside the stadium, at other locations, and on the roads to be taken by the players to reach the stadium from their hotel.
Cricket World Cup 2023: NZ vs ENG
New Zealand skipper Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bowl against defending champions England in the opening match of the ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Latham is leading the side with skipper Kane Williamson missing the opening game due to an ongoing knee injury. Lockie Ferguson also missed out due to a niggle. Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee are not the part of the playing XI as well.
For England, Ben Stokes missed the game due to a niggle in his hip, while Gus Atkinson, Reece Topley and David Willey were also left out of the playing XI.
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