As the clock ticked down on 2010 ushering in a new year, cricket lovers around the country were counting down on the moment they would get a

chance to get their hands on the tickets for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. The biggest international event in the country’s history is less than fifty days away and cricket lovers are waiting excitedly to be a part of that event, by being at the stadium to support their own belovedTigers.

But unfortunately rather than being appeased, their excitement and anxiousness has been kicked up a few notches, by the apparent indecision and confusion from the Bangladesh Cricket Board regarding the selling of tickets.

As per a source from BCB, the number of tickets reserved for the ICC was 1,270 out of a total capacity of 25,509 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The remaining 24,239 tickets will be available for selling. However, more than 6,000 tickets are reserved for ministers, members of parliament, bureaucrats and members of different sports federations, divisional and district associations, and

another 3,000 tickets are at the disposal of the BCB. A total of 442 tickets from these 3,000 are for the VIPs who will sit in the Corporate Boxes. But nobody seems to be aware of the fate of the other 2,500-plus tickets.

Even this bit of information is not concrete, and was relayed to the public at the latest of hours. The local organising committee of BCB claimed the deferral in detailing out information on the ticket availability to the eve of selling was in a bid to avoid manipulation. However, one might question the validity of such a claim, since dissemination of information should ideally wipe out confusion and make it harder to manipulate.

One might also ask why this dilly-dally or apparent indecision is taking place at the BCB while the cricket-lovers around the country await eagerly to learn where they can collect their tickets from and how many exactly remain allotted for them. Well, as per the assertion of a member of ticketing and seating committee, it is because they don't yet know how many tickets they would be putting on sale due to 'mounting demand for tickets from diffident communities'.

Now, who are these differ-ent communities? Needless to say, these are the high-ups of the society: ministers, members of parliament, bureaucrats, sponsors and political leaders who have 'helped get things done to prepare for the showcase event'. But shouldn't it have been the duty and responsibility of the ministers, bureaucrats, sponsors and the like to get things done for the World Cup, or was it out of generosity that they did so?

The game of cricket thrives on its fans, and the fans are the biggest driving force for the Tigers. It is for those diehard fans, who think cricket and live with it, who scrutinise each and every game they play, eulogise and criticise at equal measure each of their action that the Tigers get their inspiration from.

These are the people who should get the priority for the tickets; not the high-ups from different communities who may have little time or passion for the game.