COLOMBO: Ticket demand for Sunday’s blockbuster ICC World Cup T20 clash between arch-rivals Pakistan and India has sent Colombo into a frenzy days ahead of the first ball at the R Premadasa Stadium, The News reported.

A visit to the stadium’s ticket booths on Thursday showed long, restless queues still forming outside the counters despite officials saying the match had already sold out.

“We do not have any tickets available for the Sunday match. I don’t know why fans are still lining up,” said one of the attendants at the booth. “The entire 37,000-capacity stadium was sold out yesterday. Most of the tickets were purchased online.”

Interestingly, there was no visible ‘Sold Out’ signage displayed at the counters, adding to the confusion among supporters who had travelled from different parts of Sri Lanka and even overseas in the hope of securing last-minute entry passes.

“We have not received any instructions from the organisers to put up a sold-out notice,” another official at the booth clarified when asked about the absence of public information.

The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry, often dubbed the “mother of all battles,” has historically shattered ticket sales records wherever it has been staged, from Melbourne to Manchester, Dubai to New York. Colombo is no exception. In fact, this is the first time Sri Lanka is hosting a World Cup T20 encounter between the two cricketing giants, making the occasion even more historic and emotionally charged.

Hotels in the city are reportedly operating near full capacity, while airline bookings from Karachi, Lahore, Delhi and Mumbai surged earlier this week. Local transport services and vendors around the stadium are also gearing up for unprecedented match-day activity.

However, where demand soars, opportunists follow.

The black market has already begun operating discreetly around the venue and online platforms. According to local sources, tickets originally priced at Rs 500 are expected to fetch anywhere between Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 or even more on match day.

“You will see a Rs 500 ticket selling for Rs 10,000 on Sunday,” said a local organiser on condition of anonymity. “People purchased tickets in bulk through online portals. Now they will resell them at massive profits.”

Authorities are expected to increase security around the stadium to curb illegal reselling, but experience suggests that controlling the underground ticket trade during an India-Pakistan encounter is no easy task.

For many fans, however, price is secondary to passion. The opportunity to witness Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam take on India’s formidable bowling attack, or to see Indian batsmen square off against Pakistan’s pace battery under lights at Premadasa, is a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.

• BNP coalition wins 209 seats in landslide victory.
• Jamaat-e-Islami promises positive opposition.
• Ex-PM Hasina calls election a farce, demands cancellation.

DHAKA: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party won a landslide parliamentary election on Friday, local TV stations showed, securing a resounding mandate in a pivotal vote that is expected to restore political stability in the South Asian nation.

The parliamentary election held on Thursday was Bangladesh’s first vote since the 2024 Gen Z-driven uprising that toppled long-time premier Sheikh Hasina.

A clear outcome had been seen as crucial for stability in the Muslim-majority country of 175 million after months of deadly anti-Hasina unrest disrupted everyday life and hit major industries, including the apparel sector in the world’s second-largest garment exporter.

It was also the first national election to follow recent revolts led by the under-30s that have cropped up through the wider region. Nepal is set to hold a vote next month.

BNP sails to victory

Opinion polls had given BNP an edge and the party lived up to the forecasts, with the coalition it dominates winning 209 seats to secure an overwhelming two-thirds majority in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation, Jamuna TV showed.

Soon after it won a majority in the overnight vote count, the party thanked and congratulated the people and called for special prayers on Friday for the welfare of the country and its people.

“Despite winning the national parliamentary election by a large margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organised by BNP,” the party said in a statement and urged people to pray at mosques, temples, churches and pagodas across the country.

The BNP is led by top prime ministerial contender Tarique Rahman, the 60-year-old son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former President Ziaur Rahman.

Its campaign promises included financial aid for poor families, a 10-year limit for an individual to remain prime minister, boosting the economy by measures including foreign investment, and anti-corruption policies.

Jamaat promises positive opposition

Shafiqur Rahman, the head of BNP’s main rival, the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, conceded defeat, with his party-led alliance on just 68 seats. Rahman said Jamaat would not engage in the “politics of opposition” for the sake of it. “We will do positive politics,” he told reporters.

The National Citizen Party (NCP), led by youth activists who were instrumental in toppling Hasina and was a part of the Jamaat-led alliance, won just five of 30 seats it contested.

Despite the landslide result, the election had been seen as Bangladesh’s first truly competitive vote in years. Hasina’s Awami League party, which ruled the country for more than 15 years until her ousting, was barred from contesting.

Turnout appeared on track on Thursday to exceed the 42% recorded in the last election in 2024. Local media reported that more than 60% of registered voters were expected to have cast ballots.

More than 2,000 candidates – including many independents – were on the ballot, and at least 50 parties contested seats, a national record. Voting in one constituency was postponed after a candidate died.

Alongside the election, a referendum was held on a set of constitutional reforms, including establishing a neutral interim government for election periods, restructuring parliament into a bicameral legislature, increasing women’s representation, strengthening judicial independence and introducing a two-term limit for the prime minister.

There was no official word on the outcome of the referendum. Leading local newspaper the Daily Star reported that 73% of the nearly 296,000 votes cast in the referendum said ‘Yes’ and the rest said ‘No’.

Hasina calls vote a farce

Hasina is in self-imposed exile in long-term ally India, which has frayed ties between Dhaka and New Delhi and opened the window for China to expand its influence in Bangladesh.

In a statement sent after polling stations closed, Hasina denounced the election as a “carefully planned farce”, held without her party and without real voter participation. She said Awami League supporters had rejected the process.

“We demand the cancellation of this voterless, illegal and unconstitutional election … the removal of the suspension imposed on the activities of the Awami League, and the restoration of the people’s voting rights through the arrangement of a free, fair, and inclusive election under a neutral caretaker government,” she said.

Opponents of Hasina say that elections under her rule were frequently marred by boycotts and intimidation.

Cardi B became visibly emotional on stage as she opened her Little Miss Drama Tour, addressing fans just days after sparking split rumours with NFL star Stefon Diggs.

The rapper fought back tears during the first show of the two-month tour on Wednesday night at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California. 

In a moment captured on TikTok, Cardi paused before addressing the crowd, saying, “I do not want to get emotional.” 

She then offered a brief but heartfelt message to fans, adding, “I just want to tell you, don’t let nobody take your happiness away from you,” before launching into Maroon 5’s Girls Like You.

The emotional moment came shortly after speculation grew around the state of her relationship with Diggs following Super Bowl 2026. 

During the championship game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Cardi appeared noticeably distant when an ESPN reporter asked if she had any motivating words for Diggs before kickoff.

She simply replied, “Good luck,” before walking away.

Although Cardi made a brief appearance during Bad Bunny’s halftime performance, she was seen leaving straight afterwards. 

Soon after the game, which ended in a dominant win for the Seahawks, fans noticed that Cardi and Diggs had unfollowed each other on social media, further fuelling breakup rumours.

The apparent shift surprised many supporters, especially as Diggs had previously hinted at a possible engagement. 

Speaking to reporters on Super Bowl opening night, he said, “It’s on the agenda. Maybe, right? I gotta get [my Super Bowl ring] first.”

At the time, he also spoke warmly about Cardi’s support throughout the football season, calling her an “amazing woman” and expressing how much he valued her presence. 

He said he appreciated her being there for him, not just at games but also through constant check-ins and messages before and after matches, making sure he was doing well.

Cardi and Diggs welcomed a son together in November. Cardi is also a mother to Kulture, seven, Wave, four, and Blossom, one, whom she shares with her ex-husband Offset.

While neither Cardi nor Diggs has publicly confirmed a split, the singer’s emotional opening night performance has left fans concerned and speculating about what comes next. 

For now, Cardi appears focused on her tour, leaning into her music as she navigates a very public and personal moment.