Only 1330 tickets remain unsold for the first match of the three-Test series between India and Pakistan. The superb ticket sales mean that for the first time in ages Mohali will have a full house for a Test.
As many as 3000 Pakistan fans are supposed to attend the match, but they will be outnumbered in this modern stadium, which has a capacity of 40,000.
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Indian authorities have issued 2985 visas. Around 1600 Pakistanis arrived on Sunday and the rest are due to come in through Wagah border later on Monday.
The scene is in stark contrast to the Test series that was played in Pakistan. The One-Day Internationals had run to full houses but the stands had an eerily empty look during the Test series. None of that is likely to happen during the ongoing tour.
Hot weather, school examinations, exorbitant ticket prices, and the speculation of fixed matches was cited as reasons for the public staying away from the first Test between the countries on Pakistan soil in nearly 15 years.
Unprecedented security also caused problems for spectators. Traffic diversions meant that fans had to walk six miles from the parking area to the stadium. Thankfully, none of that chaos is visible at Mohali, which is one of the most modern Test stadiums in the country.
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