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Shoaib Akhtar Rubbishes Claims Of Unsold Tickets For India vs Pakistan, Calls It “External Talks”

Rajgeeta Yadav

Shoaib Akhtar reacts [Source: AFP]Shoaib Akhtar reacts [Source: AFP]

On September 14, India will face Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium. Normally, tickets for an India-Pakistan match disappear within minutes because of the intense rivalry between the two teams. For example, during the Champions Trophy 2023 in Dubai, every seat was sold out in less than four minutes. 

This time, however, things are different. Even after more than ten days of sales, plenty of tickets are still available, leaving many surprised.

Shoaib Akhtar Denies Low Ticket Sales

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar does not believe the reports of slow sales. He pointed out that this will be the first time India and Pakistan are meeting on the cricket field since “Operation Sindoor,” which followed the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. 

India carried out strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan, and tensions escalated before both countries agreed to a ceasefire. 

Because of this backdrop, Akhtar said emotions are running high and he cannot imagine the match not being played in front of a full house. Speaking on PTV Sports, he brushed aside the reports, saying,

"Emotions are running very high. Now we [Pakistan] are meeting India for the first time post-war. Think about it — it cannot not be houseful. Someone said to me that the tickets are unsold. I said, 'What are you saying?' Everything is sold; these are all the external talks."

However, one major reason tickets may still be unsold is the steep pricing. On ticketing sites, a pair of seats in the VIP Suite East costs about ₹2.5 lakh, which includes food, drinks, parking, lounge access, and private entry. 

Seats in the Royal Box are priced at around ₹2.3 lakh, while the Sky Box is listed at ₹1.6 lakh. Even Platinum level tickets cost nearly ₹75,659. The cheapest option still comes to around ₹10,000 for two seats.