Cricket’s most awaited event, the 2023 Cricket World Cup, kicked off with great pomp and fervor at the world’s biggest cricket stadium Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. The inaugural clash featured England taking on New Zealand, igniting a cricketing celebration that promised to be unlike any other.
This immense stadium, with an incredible seating capacity of 130,000 fans, served as the ideal setting for the world’s most esteemed cricket tournament. Yet, the sight of unoccupied chairs during the tournament’s opening match left many wondering about the event’s excitement and appeal.
While the Narendra Modi Stadium proudly reflects grandeur and cricketing excellence, the relatively low turnout on its inauguration day provided an unanticipated obstacle. A substantial chunk of the stadium was lightly packed with empty seats, a scene that didn’t exactly fit the tournament’s acclaimed reputation. This unforeseen predicament spurred cricket enthusiasts from around the world to question the organizers’ capacity to fill this mammoth arena for such an important sporting event.
The dissatisfaction experienced by supporters rippled across multiple social media channels. Twitter acted as an opportunity for supporters to express their grievances, with one person commenting, “This is becoming really humiliating. The toss for the opening match of the World Cup was placed in front of a largely empty stadium.”
Here is how fans reacted to the empty stadium during the Eng vs NZ match: