(From top) Cricketers Suresh Raina, Umesh Yadav and R Ashwin arrive in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. India and Sri Lanka will play an ODI at Barabati Stadium on November 2. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee and PTI

Cuttack/Bhubaneswar, Oct. 30: A huge crowd had gathered today to catch a glimpse of Indian cricketers arriving at the Biju Patnaik airport for the November 2 one-day tie with Sri Lanka, but the excitement was not reflected in the sale of tickets.

Only a few fans were seen queuing up at the three ticket counters that opened at 9am today and there was not much improvement as the day progressed.

Absence of regular Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, pacer Bhubaneswar Kumar and Sri Lanka speedster Lasith Malinga in the series opener at Barabati seems to have dampened the spirit of cricket lovers.

Sources in the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) said that around 6,736 tickets, out of the 22,000 on offer, were sold by the end of the day. An OCA official said that tickets for gallery No. 3 had been sold out.

However, OCA officials are hopeful that the Barabati stadium will be packed to capacity on November 2 despite the poor show on the opening day of ticket sale.

“We have already extended the date for sale of tickets to November 1. We are hopeful that cricket fans will turnout in large numbers for the tie,” said Satya Mohanty, OCA treasurer.

Though 7,000 tickets are also available online, only 3,000 have been picked up so far.

“There was absolutely no crowd near the counters. It did not take me much time to buy two tickets for the match,” said Akash Patra, a student.

Patra said initially there was a long queue outside two counters selling tickets for various galleries, the number slumped after 2pm.

The prices of tickets have been kept unchanged but those willing to buy a seat in the corporate box will have to pay Rs 8,000 and not Rs 10,000 as was earlier decided.

The price of tickets for AC box gallery is Rs 5,000, for New Pavilion Rs 4,000, for corporate gallery Rs 3,000, for galleries 1, 2, 3 Rs 500 and for galleries 6 and 7 one has to shell out Rs 400.

Though the excitement was missing at the ticket counters, fans gathered in hundreds to spot their favourite stars at the airport. Though the players reached the city in phases, the enthusiasm among the fans remained intact.

By evening, 13 Indian players, including Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ishant Sharma and R Ashwin, reached the city. Stand-in captain for the first three matches of the series Virat Kohli arrived late as his flight was delayed.

Medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni, who replaced Mohammed Shami, would reach Bhubaneswar tomorrow as he is part of the India-A team that is playing Sri Lanka in the tour opener. Similarly, all rounder Ravindra Jadeja is likely to arrive tomorrow.

Officials of the OCA said that Sri Lankan players would reach Bhubaneswar tomorrow.

“We have been eagerly waiting for Dhoni but unfortunately he is not a part of the team. However, we got see Virat, Raina and Jadeja from close,” said Akriti, a school-goer.

Commissionerate police have made elaborate security arrangement for the match.

“Quick reaction team will be pressed into action at the hotel, where the players are staying. Besides, special tactical unit and special operations group will be deployed outside the hotel and along the route on which both teams will move,” said police commissioner R.P Sharma.