By IANS,
Mohali (Punjab) : There was a low turnout of spectators at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium here Friday, the first day of the second Test between India and England.
Most of the stands except the students’ block wore a deserted look, surrounded by hundreds of policemen. There was a series of security checks on the way to the stands.
There were 20-25 English fans among the spectators, cheering for their team.
The low turnout can be partly attributed to the chilly weather conditions here. In fact, there was a 20-minute delay in the start of the match due to bad light.
Besides, the dismissal of India opener Virender Sehwag for nought disappointed the few fans on the stands.
“We were expecting some good batting from Sehwag but his early dismissal has disappointed us. Now we are planning to go back,” said Subodh Sharma, a college student.
However, PCA officials are expecting more crowds in the coming days.
“We are expecting more spectators on subsequent days as the match becomes more interesting. We are expecting at least 10,000 spectators to come here Sunday,” a senior PCA official told IANS.
Shashank Manohar, president of Board of Control for Cricket in India, and some officials of the International Cricket Council were present, sitting in the VVIP area with PCA president I.S. Bindra.