As the eagerly-awaited Indo-Pak World Cup clash takes off at Motera in Ahmedabad today, fans and cricket enthusiasts from at least 57 countries have arrived in the city to witness the match up close.
According to the records by the home ministry, a staggering 21,739 hotel rooms have been booked in 1,229 hotels in Ahmedabad over the past three days. More fans are expected to check in. Almost 38,000-plus cricket lovers from each and every part of India have checked into city hotels to witness the face-off.
According to figures gathered between October 11 and 13, close to 400 foreign nationals have checked into 276 hotel rooms in Ahmedabad.
And if Gujarat, Maharashtra and MP lead the inland guests, it is UK that leads the overseas visitors.
United Kingdom fans have reportedly booked 45 rooms, followed closely by cricket lovers from the United States, who have reserved 34 rooms. People from Nepal, Japan, Algeria, and Singapore, to name just a few, have also marked their presence in double digits. Fans from Russia, Ireland, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, and many more have ensured the crowd is a melting pot of cricket fervour.
Police say, “Most of the rooms have been booked by cricket lovers. Some of the single rooms are even being occupied by five people.”
They add, “Non-resident Indians (NRIs) and foreign nationals do come to Gujarat to enjoy Navratri.
However, they are usually from the US, the UK or Australia and are far fewer in numbers. This time, people from countries like Albania, Uzbekistan, American Samoa, Eritrea, Hong Kong, Korea, and Papua New Guinea have booked rooms in the city. We believe they have come down to witness the WC match.”
A showdown of historic proportions awaits as fans from across the globe converge for what promises to be a thriller of a match between the arch-rivals, India and Pakistan.
Also Read: The World Flies Down To Ahmedabad Today As India Take On Pakistan In WC Clash
