West Indies captain Brian Lara appears well focused as he eyes the Cricket World Cup trophy during a press conference with the team captains at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, in Rose Hall, St. James, on Saturday. The West Indies will launch their quest for the magnificent trophy in the ICC CWC 2007 tournament against Pakistan, at Sabina Park, today. - Junior Dowie / Staff Photographer

Shelly-Ann Thompson, Gleaner Writer

Spectators in their thousands are expected to converge upon Sabina Park, in the Corporate Area today as the first official match of the ICC Cricket World Cup bowls off.

At least 16,500 persons are expected to be in attendance. Approximately 90 per cent of the 19,000 tickets that went on sale were bought for the match that will feature hosts West Indies against Pakistan.

The island, and the region at large, have been in high spirits, in anticipation of the series for which the Caribbean plays host for first time. This is the ninth staging of the World Cup since competition started in 1975. The West Indies won the inaugural event and followed up with victory in 1979. They lost in the finals four years later.

Local hotels have been enjoying a surge in occupancy levels. More than 150 guests checked into the Hilton Kingston hotel, New Kingston, between Sunday and yesterday, in time for the first match of the tournament.

Carib nationals

Those checking in were mostly Caribbean nationals from Grenada, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. Guests include Grenadian Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell.

"I am planning to have so much fun tomorrow (today) that I can't even explain," said Richard Wright, a West Indian staying at the hotel.

Delroy Taylor, project officer in charge of ticketing at the ICC ticket office, downtown Kingston, told The Gleaner that there was an increase in the demand for tickets yesterday.

He said the "spectacular" opening ceremony was definitely a catalyst for yesterday's rush.

"People are now even more feeling the buzz to go," said Mr. Taylor.

At midday yesterday, several persons, mostly men, were observed purchasing tickets at the downtown office.

Darian Moore, who used her lunch time to buy her tickets, said she would have been extremely disappointed if tickets were sold off.

"I have been planning for it, but I came at the last minute because I couldn't find the money," she said.

She bought two tickets for next Monday's game, West Indies against Zimbabwe.

"Now I am gonna go and have some fun," said Miss Moore.

While the region hopes the West Indies will win today's game, the Pakistanis here in Jamaica will be going out in full support with the expectation of a win. Pakistan was the winner of the 1992 World Cup series, staged in Australia.

Qasim Alvi, a Pakistani who has been living in Jamaica for four years, and will be at Sabina today with about 50 of his friends and relatives, told The Gleaner that, on Sunday, he chit-chatted with the Pakistani-team players and that they are in high spirits.

"Right now we don't have the key players. But, the guys are fired up, they are feeling good, saying that they will be working hard to perform," said Mr. Alvi, who owns an automobile sales outlet in Jamaica.

"Pakistan is a cricket loving country," he said.

When the tickets first went on sale in May 2006, Mr. Alvi bought 15 for himself and friends.

"Since this (yesterday) morning I got about 20 calls from friends who are on the island for the cricket tournament," he said. "Cricket is not a religion in Pakistan, but it is close to that."

shelly-ann.thompson@gleanerjm.com