Organizers and officials say the tournament’s blockbuster clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on October 14 remains the most eagerly awaited match, but demand is strong for other games as well.
“The crowd for the India-Pakistan match is the biggest ever and a lot of people will come from abroad as well,” Gujarat Cricket Association chief executive Dheeraj Jogani told AFP.
For the opener, England vs New Zealand, Zogani expects “about 70,000 fans”, meaning the stadium will be more than half full, although tickets are still on sale.
“There is huge demand for tickets for every match,” he said. “Maybe the Afghanistan game (against South Africa) is a bit weak, but the rest will have enough numbers.”
Chen said the demand for the International Cricket Council’s official mascots – cricket superheroes “Blaze” and “Tonk” was very high.
“There was a frenzy when they showed up at a mall in the city,” he said. “There is enthusiasm among the people, we Gujaratis are crazy about cricket.”
