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"Logistical problem at Dubai Stadium - If you don’t have a car you can’t come" : Wasim Akram

Abdullah719

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"Logistical problem at Dubai Stadium - If you don’t have a car you can’t come" : Wasim Akram

DUBAI: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has gotten off to a cracking start with matches keeping audiences on the edge of their seats. However, actual seats have been hard to fill at the Dubai International Stadium. While the level of competition has been praised, the lack of attendance has been a point of criticism.

Former Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram who is the director for new franchise Multan Sultans is hopeful that this trend will change when the entire tournament is played in Pakistan. “It will be a dream come true for the owners, PCB and myself. And of course it will be a dream come true for every cricket loving Pakistani,” Akram said. The Swing of Sultan added that playing in Pakistan would add pressure on teams as stadiums would be packed.

Akram remained optimistic about seeing larger crowds when the tournament moves to Sharjah. “There is a logistical problem at the Dubai Stadium. If you don’t have a car you can’t come. There is no public transport. This problem won’t be there in Sharjah.”

When asked about the level of competition, Akram responded that it was fierce and the teams were all quite close. “Every team wants to win. Even I as a circlet director, my coach and my captain Shoaib Malik, we sit down, plan and hold meetings. This is not a holiday there is some serious cricket happening here.”

Akram also praised the Pakistan Cricket Board and PSL management for a professionally organised tournament. “Players from the world are here and they get looked after really well. Ideally, the world will know what PSL is when it is held in Pakistan. But even in Dubai and Sharjah, it’s top notch.”

According to Akram, it was too early to predict which teams would make it to the knockout stages and it would come down to the last few matches. “This is very interesting for the people watching it back home. Not so exciting for the coaches as your heart rate keeps increasing when the team isn’t playing well.”

https://dailytimes.com.pk/207798/psl-pakistan-will-like-dream-come-true-wasim-akram/
 
Its impossible to fill out the Dubai stadium day in and day out. Its fine for a one-off occasion like the opening day of the tournament and the final, but majority of the Pakistan fans in UAE cannot afford to come to this stadium every other day.

Sharjah will see a much better crowd because of its location. The tournament will take a different shape altogether if all of it is held in Pakistan.
 
Its been the downfall for me this tournament and the previous ones as well that the stadiums don't seem to fill out for the matches. Which could lead the reason to why the camera are always on the VIP section. They need to look at this issue. But Sharjah tends to get more people to come in which is great to see.
 
They won't be able to take the whole PSL to Pakistan until another 2-3 years at least that too depending if the situation in the country and cricketing facilities in the country undergo a total revamp.
 
The dubai stadium is a 30 minute drive from the city, and is literally in the middle of the desert. Abu Dhabi should have been included this year, don't know why?
 
I cannot believe the organisers/PCB can't do more to garner match-goers. Let kids in for free, or the lowest ticket prices. Have a better advertising unit. Do something.

These empty seats don't help the appeal of the competition. How I wish these were being played in Pakistan, where you'd get a near full capacity :(

They have to move it our of the UAE region and somewhere else. Enough of these embarrassing shots of empty seats.

This isn't the Emptihad for goodness sake :facepalm:
 
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