After Cricket World Cup 2023 Opens To Empty Stands, Virender Sehwag's Interesting 'Free Tickets' Advice

Former Indian cricket team opener Virender Sehwag believes that the Cricket World Cup 2023 organisers should give free tickets to school and college students for matches not featuring India after the competition opened to empty stands in Ahmedabad on Thursday. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad failed to draw crowds and the lack of support left a lot of cricket fans on social media stunned. Sehwag believes that the popularity for ODI cricket is dwindling at the moment and better access for youngsters during the tournament can boost their interest in the sport.

"Hopefully after office hours, there should be more people coming in. But for games not featuring Bharat, there should be free tickets for school and college children. With the fading interest in 50 over game, it will definitely help that youngsters get to experience a World Cup game and players get to play in fron (sic) of a full stadium." Sehwag posted on social media platform X (formerly called Twitter).

New Zealand won the toss and put defending champions England in to bat in the World Cup opener on Thursday with the English missing their talisman Ben Stokes due to a hip injury.

Hopefully after office hours, there should be more people coming in. But for games not featuring Bharat, there should be free tickets for school and college children. With the fading interest in 50 over game, it will definitely help that youngsters get to experience a World Cup…

The clash, at the world's biggest cricket stadium in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, is a rematch of the epic 2019 final when England won a tied game on boundary countback.

Tom Latham leads New Zealand, who will be without regular captain Kane Williamson and pace bowler Tim Southee, both recovering from