Dear Editor,
Like most West Indies fans I was ecstatic when I learnt that matches were scheduled to be played at the national stadium. I went on the very first day when it was announced tickets were to be sold at the GCB Cricket Board, only to be told to come again the next day. I didn’t mind that. I went again another day and joined the line of avid cricket fans each eager to purchase their tickets. Then I saw something strange. Tickets were not sold on a first come first served basis. Priority was given to those who wanted to purchase tickets for Tuesday’s match over those who were purchasing tickets for Sunday’s match. I was in the line for close to one hour watching as persons who wanted to purchase tickets for Tuesday’s match walked right past me to the front of the line. Eventually I got to purchase my ticket and was in good spirits. I showed up at the match and saw Pakistan reeling. I kept hearing the announcer saying that persons who left the stadium and wanted to come in back had to purchase another ticket. I thought to myself that maybe I wasn’t hearing right. However, my fears were confirmed by an official who reinforced what I had heard. I had originally planned to leave the stadium at the lunch interval to purchase lunch on the road at a far better price than what I ended up paying at the stadium. Before my overpriced food could be digested, West Indies were ruthlessly crushed leaving me wondering as to why I would ever want to go to the stadium to watch another cricket match.
Yours faithfully,
Vishal Singh