No tickets, no hope for tearful fans

Hundreds of eager fans stood in long queues at the Punjab Cricket Association ground on Monday in a final, desperate bid to find a ticket for the India-Pakistan World Cup semi-final.

Sai Das, a resident of Mohali - the venue for Wednesday's marquee clash between the bitter rivals - was on the verge of tears as he described his ticket travails.

"I live in Mohali and to think that I have not been able to get a ticket kills me," said the 22-year-old student as he walked away from the queue of hundreds snaking round the edge of the PCA Stadium.

"I have been coming here for the last three days but the ticket counters open and close in minutes. They have no pity on us. The officials are only giving away tickets to VIPs."

A group of school students described how they had defied angry parents and made it all the way from nearby Chandigarh just to be able to get the tickets.

"My father scolded me but I didn't listen," said Rajan Kumar, 13.

"I saw on a TV channel that some tickets will be put on sale today and I rushed here, giving school a miss.

"Now we are told the report was wrong, no tickets are available. We have been waiting since eight in the morning for the counters to open and it is already close to one in the afternoon. MOHALI, India, Tuesday (AFP)