Indo-Pak match sold out except for Western stand

New Delhi:

India's opening match against arch-rivals Pakistan in the hockey World Cup on Sunday will be played under a capacity crowd at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here as all the tickets for the much-awaited encounter has been sold out except for the Western stand.

A top Hockey India official told PTI that not only India-Pakistan encounter, the tickets for the stadium's Western stand will not be sold to general public for the entire tournament on security grounds.

"There are no tickets for India-Pakistan match. It is already a sell out. But the tickets of heritage block i.e. the western end will not be sold to public for the entire tournament.

"It is the strict instructions of security agencies as the VIP, VVIP boxes, media box, players' dressing room are all situated in that area. Only accredited persons can access the area," the HI official said.

He, however, rejected reports that the organisers have stopped the sale of tickets for the opening day due to security concerns and plain clothes policemen would fill the 19,000 capacity stadium during the Indo-Pak encounter.

"No, it is not true. It is completely rubbish. The tickets are all sold out except for the heritage block," the official said.