The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced free entry for the fourth and fifth days of the ongoing first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh at Rawalpindi Stadium. This decision follows low attendance during the first three days of the match. The PCB also assured that those who had already purchased tickets for the final two days would receive a refund.
The PCB hopes the move will encourage more fans, particularly families and students, to attend the game over the weekend. In a statement, the board said, "The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced free entry for spectators for the remaining days (fourth and fifth) of the first Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium."
"The decision was made keeping in view of the weekend, which will allow families and students to turn up in maximum numbers to support their cricketing stars and witness action between the two sides," the statement continued.
Read Also | Sri Lanka announce schedule for New Zealand Test series
Rawalpindi will also host the second and final Test of the series, originally scheduled to be held behind closed doors in Karachi due to stadium renovations for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The venue was changed to Rawalpindi as part of the PCB's efforts to accommodate fans.
On the pitch, Pakistan recovered from a rocky start after being asked to bat first. Reduced to 16/3, the hosts managed to post a commanding 448/6, with centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel. Bangladesh, in response, showed resilience with Mominul Haque scoring a solid fifty. However, the visitors lost Shadman Islam just four runs short of his century. At the latest update, Bangladesh was 199/4 after 66 overs, trailing Pakistan by 249 runs, making it likely the match will extend into the final day.