India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash: ACC slashes ticket prices amid concerns
What's the story
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has been forced to take emergency measures due to slow ticket sales for the highly anticipated India-Pakistan Asia Cup match in Dubai. Despite being on sale for over two weeks, tickets are yet to sell out. In an effort to attract more fans, the ACC has reduced standard ticket prices from AED 475 ($129) to AED 350 ($95).
Sentiment impact
Impact of Pahalgam terror incident on ticket sales
The public sentiment in India, especially after the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack, has likely affected ticket sales. Some former Indian cricketers and commentators believe the match should be boycotted. However, despite these controversies off the field, there is still plenty of on-field excitement as India captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed his team's commitment to take on Pakistan in Sunday's high-profile clash.
Sales slump
Premium enclosures witness slowest sales
The premium enclosures at Dubai International Stadium, the host venue for the Asia Cup final on September 28, have witnessed the slowest sales. This is a stark contrast to the previous India-Pakistan matches, where all tickets were sold out in minutes. However, an Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) official dismissed concerns over the same. "There is no truth to the claim that tickets are not getting sold," an ECB source told The Times of India.
Tensions
Ongoing cross-border tensions
As mentioned, India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads since the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack in April this year. While India responded by launching Operation Sindoor, Pakistan retaliated with drone attacks. In the 2025 WCL for retired cricketers, the Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions boycotted their matches against Pakistan. However, the Asia Cup schedule placed India and Pakistan in the same group, a move that met with severe criticism amid the ongoing tensions.
Policy
BCCI's stance on India-Pakistan clash
While there have been calls for boycotting the Pakistan match, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has maintained that it follows the central government's policy. The policy, introduced in August this year, allows participation in multi-nation tournaments but doesn't permit bilateral series with Pakistan. It further stated that Indian teams will not participate in competitions held in Pakistan, and Pakistani teams will not be allowed to play on Indian soil.
Matches
India vs Pakistan: Bilateral cricket
It is worth noting that India and Pakistan do not engage in bilateral cricket due to political tensions. They only face each other in multilateral tournaments. The two countries recently clashed in the ICC Champions Trophy this year, where India reigned supreme. India also beat Pakistan in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. The last India-Pakistan bilateral series was held in 2012 (in India) when Pakistan defeated India 2-1 in ODIs. Besides, India last visited Pakistan in 2008.