Delhi has a strong Afghan connection thanks to old pathways of trade like the Grand Trunk Road that once linked Peshawar to Kolkata. Subsequently, when the Western and Eastern Blocs played their Great Game with Kabul as the pivot, the resultant strife in Afghanistan forced many of its citizens to seek a base in Delhi. So, it was no surprise that the World Cup game at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium drew a number of Afghan fans.
India, though, kept its hospitality within the old alleys of its capital. On the field, the Men in Blue prevailed easily over their counterparts from beyond the Durand Line. Rohit slammed a 131 and guided his men to an eight-wicket victory on October 11. It was an apt prelude to the clash with another neighbour, Pakistan.
Sparring neighbours
The cricket bandwagon headed towards Ahmedabad, and it was time for the big clash. India against Pakistan is a rare cricketing battle restricted to ICC events and the Asia Cup. The frost on either side of the Wagah border often means that sport becomes a convenient tool for scoring political brownie points. However, the latest World Cup joust scraped a new low. Sports writers from Pakistan had to sweat over their visas, and fans from across the border faced a cold shoulder.
Eventually, a few scribes and Pakistanis, who were overseas citizens from Europe and the United States, arrived at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, a gargantuan venue that has a scale well beyond traditional large venues like the Melbourne Cricket Ground or, closer home, Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. The crowd, soaked with a spirit of overwhelming nationalism, sang along to the Indian national anthem with gusto as a lakh vocal chords sprung to life. It turned out to be Saturday night fever once again as India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets on October 14, with Bumrah and Rohit being the prime architects.
The match scored high on atmosphere and poorly as a contest, but the fans were not complaining. Gaurav Manchanda, owner of FC Bengaluru United, for once, swapped his allegiance from football to cricket and told Sportstar: “The clash was nothing short of a cricketing spectacle. The roaring thunder of victory echoed through the stands as India displayed a masterclass in cricket. Our Men in Blue stayed unfazed. It wasn’t just a win; it was a statement of intent, a promise of many glorious victories to come. The euphoria of victory has rekindled a timeless cricket rivalry with a sweet taste of triumph.”
Done and dusted
There was no stopping the Indian juggernaut as another neighbour, this time Bangladesh, was vanquished by seven wickets at Pune’s MCA Stadium on October 19. Virat Kohli was at it again, striking a glorious ton, revealing that on the big stage he brooks no resistance. The venue, a stone’s throw away from the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, is nestled within the foothills of the Western Ghats. It is picturesque and offers a glorious sunset if you are willing to peel your eyes away from the willow game, but there are issues that grate.
The stadium isn’t fully constructed, and the press box has no access to a restroom. Therefore, harried scribes chasing deadlines had to make do with a washroom one level down. The access roads to the venue are pastoral, as tiny country roads snake around, and it was no surprise that the fans had enormous trouble just getting in. The BCCI has to revisit its allocation of big-ticket matches, and Pune needs to improve as a host.
Himalayan chill
Dharamsala, nestled in the Himalayas, taps our inner William Wordsworth. There may not be any daffodils, but the sheer beauty of the hilly terrain and the windows and balconies that open to the mountains, topped with snow and moisturised by the clouds, is a sight for eyes fatigued by urban strain. The HPCA Stadium, with a climate that forces you to dip into winterwear, is perhaps more suited to Kiwis.
On October 22, it was time to correct India’s dodgy record against New Zealand in ICC events, and the Men in Blue precisely did that with a four-wicket triumph mounted on Mohammed Shami’s five for 54 and Kohli’s 95. The town, plastered with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur’s posters, was buzzing late into the night, with fans gulping a frothy cold brew despite the obvious chill in the air.
And as India’s first leg of five World Cup matches concluded, it was time to retreat. Ross Taylor, an old India nemesis and a Royal Challengers Bangalore hero, was on the return flight to Delhi. “They tested India, didn’t they? Perhaps another 30 odd runs, and who knows?” he quipped.
A fan walked up: “You Ross Taylor?” The New Zealand great smiled sheepishly, and then it was time for selfies. “I charge 100 per ‘photo,” Taylor said, happily posing. He didn’t earn any money but surely reaped a lot of goodwill on the flight.
K. C. Vijaya Kumar
*****
One for the nation: During the India-Pakistan clash, the crowd, soaked with a spirit of overwhelming nationalism, sang along the Indian national anthem with gusto as a lakh vocal chords sprung to life. The roaring thunder of victory echoed through the stands as India displayed a masterclass of cricket. | Photo Credit: R. V. Moorthy
Moving World Cup matches back to traditional centres
If the World Cup in India was tasked with spreading the word of one-day cricket, its evangelism seems to have fallen on deaf ears so far. Monu Kumar Verma, a cab driver in Lucknow, sums up the ailing health of the format succinctly. While ensuring he doesn’t downplay the passion the city has for the game, Verma, in his twenties, wonders if anybody has the time to watch an eight-hour game in one sitting.
“ Aaram se ghar mein baithke, AC lagake match dekhunga. Beech mein kaam karunga aur phir mann kiya toh phir se dekhunga (I will comfortably watch the game sitting in my air-conditioned house. I’ll do my work in between and resume watching again if I feel like it),” he explains.
The crowd turnout at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, which peaked at around 15,000 for the Australia versus South Africa game, echoes a similar sentiment. Uttar Pradesh, a state saddled with the largest population in the country and nursing ambitions of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy by the time the next ODI World Cup is thrust upon us, would understandably have little time to devote to a format in limbo.
In an aspirational economy in flux, hard-pressed for time, and with greater digital accessibility, a kilometre-long walk under the devilish noon sun and parching heat isn’t worth it. The scene outside the stadium in Lucknow was a cruelly ironic take on the ‘ Muskuraiye, aap Lucknow mein hain’ promise that greets one at the airport.
With handkerchiefs on their heads, sweat trickling down from places they didn’t know existed, and a permanent scrunch etched on their faces, fans dotted the highway leading to the stadium gates. The roads parallel to them were barred for vehicular traffic, and the handful of faithful were forced to make the arduous pilgrimage to the dome-like structure on foot. If that is what is meant by the hackneyed saying that ‘cricket is religion’ in India, it surely is. Once inside the stadium, the empty pale blue and pink seats—an overwhelming majority—indicate that the adage, in its intended sense, is only applicable to Indian cricket.
A houseful attendance for India’s match against Afghanistan in Delhi says as much. An almost-capacity crowd watches the Men in Blue demolish Afghanistan even as some fans wait outside eagerly to chance upon a ticket holder willing to part with his possession. On match eve, a crowd builds up outside the road leading to the gates. They whisper in hushed tones, and with their demand for tickets, make anybody with an accreditation card around their neck feel like a bootlegger.
Just when the eagerness dies out with a collective groan as the reality of a sellout crowd hits them, the Indian team bus emerges from the stadium premises. A section of the assembled crowd goes up in cheer before somebody reminds them that local boy Virat Kohli skipped the practice session. The decibels drop before rising slightly again as they make do with a wave of the hand by Shreyas Iyer.
Delhi has a good memory, perhaps too good for the sake of modernity. An auto driver appears clueless when asked about the fare to Arun Jaitley Stadium. It’s just ‘Kotla’ for him, and he smirks when he says that most of the fans will learn about the new moniker only upon reaching the venue. For another, watching live cricket stopped after Steve and Mark Waugh played at the ‘Kotla’ in 1998. He fondly remembers them as ‘ do Australian bhai’ (two Australian brothers). In traffic, an electric rickshaw driver is keenly informing his customers of the scores of an ongoing match between England and Bangladesh.
Delhi clearly knows its cricket. While the debate for restricting Test cricket to traditional centres rages on, can a similar case be made for ICC events in the country in light of the poor turnouts for non-India games? Well, there’s almost a month of WC action left to answer that and a sensitive question of ‘spreading the game’ to contend with.
Dhruva Prasad
*****
Netherlands players after defeating South African in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. | Photo Credit: R. V. Moorthy
A worthy achievement
When Teja Nidamanuru, one of the heroes in the Netherlands’ successful campaign at the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe earlier this year, was asked about the reaction back home to the team’s shock win against South Africa, he said, “I’d say in total there won’t be any more than 5,000-odd people that play cricket in the Netherlands,” the batter said. “The awareness of the game is also growing in the Netherlands, which is a really huge positive for us, because quite often when you say play cricket, not many people know what that is.”
At the end of the press conference in Lucknow, ahead of the Netherlands’ match against Sri Lanka, the media manager, John van Vliet, went back to that question and added, “The win against South Africa made headline news on television.” That should help a team that is struggling to get resources and seek sponsorship.
P. K. Ajith Kumar
*****
A couple from Portugal watched the Bangladesh vs. New Zealand game in Chennai live.
Might of melting pot
Multi-nation tournaments like the ODI World Cup offer a glimpse into the coalescence of cultures, with fans from across the globe providing a milieu for an outpour of passion. Interspersed between visitors from the traditional cricket-mad nations was a couple from Portugal (above) who were here to watch the Bangladesh vs. New Zealand game in Chennai without the slightest idea about the event or the sport. Fan experiences like these exemplify the appeal of major sporting events and are sure to have a significant impact on the global expansion of cricket.
Anish Pathiyil
*****
A different world
People go to Dharamsala, the abode of the Dalai Lama, for the peace and tranquility it offers. But the Diary arrived at the hill station for the match between South Africa and the Netherlands in a petulant rage. Its flight from Delhi was cancelled because of bad weather conditions and was rescheduled for the morning of the contest. The Diary’s feelings were exacerbated when it landed in Dharamsala, for the town was throwing a fit too. There were dark clouds, blustery cold winds, and steady rain. The Diary wondered why it had to fly 2,600 kilometres from Bengaluru to witness a match being washed out. That’s the sort of curious twist of fate the Diary has been having of late. Wherever the Diary goes, wretched luck follows. Kerala Blasters walked out of an ISL match; the IPL final went on for two days; and so on. But by 4 p.m. on that Tuesday, the gloom and doom in the foothills of the Himalayas gave way to clear skies and bright sunshine. A weatherman had actually predicted the forecast right, but in India, astrologers have a better strike rate. So nobody bothered. What followed was a magical evening of cricket that ended with the Dutch recording an upset win over the Proteas. The Diary still couldn’t find peace and tranquility on a frenetic and tiring night, but it returned a happy person.
N. Sudarshan
*****
With love, from SA
As Heinrich Klassen took the England bowlers to the cleaners at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday late afternoon, a group of young fans were chanting, “Go Proteas!” from one corner of the Sunil Gavaskar Pavilion.
With South African batters in red-hot form, the youngsters—all of them in their early 20s—hoped that the Men in Green would breach the 400-run mark, and throughout the innings, they made it a point to click as many pictures as possible.
“This is our first visit to India, and we want to make every moment memorable,” Shane Weisz said with a smile. Growing up in Cape Town, Shane has heard several stories of Indian cricket from his grandfather, Ali Bacher, the legendary cricket administrator from South Africa. Bacher was the architect of South Africa’s return to the ICC fold in 1991. “Since childhood, I have heard so much about India and the country’s fondness for cricket from my grandfather, so this time around, we wanted to visit India and enjoy the World Cup from the stadium,” Weisz said, as two of his friends—Jonathan Tooke and Matthew Roos—nodded their heads in agreement.
After managing to book tickets for the South Africa vs. England game online, the trio reached Mumbai on Saturday morning, checked into a hostel in Andheri West, and then rushed to the Wankhede Stadium for the game. “It’s an incredible experience to watch the game from the stands. We are really happy that South Africa batted so well,” Weisz, who holds a Masters in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence from the University of Cambridge, said.
Spirited support: South African fans — Shane Weisz, Jonathan Tooke and Matthew Roos — are visiting India for the first time to cheer on their team. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
He was just four years old when South Africa hosted the ODI World Cup in 2003, and even though he has been to several bilateral games at the Newlands, this was his first visit to an ODI World Cup venue. “All three of us have waited for this moment, and we hope we get to see some more cricket here,” he said.
The trio plans to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra before heading to Kolkata to watch the India vs. South Africa game. “We are starting off our careers, so we are on a shoestring budget, and hence, we are staying in a hostel,” said Weisz, adding with a smile, “We are loving it!”
Sachin, Sachin
It has been a decade since Sachin Tendulkar drew curtains on his illustrious international career, but the fans remembered the Indian cricket legend as South Africa faced England.
Every time the South African batters went hammer and tongs against the English bowlers, a nearly-packed stadium chanted, ‘Sachin, Sachin...’ Not just that. In the stands, quite a few fans were spotted donning Tendulkar’s jerseys, while others donned those of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
On November 1, the Mumbai Cricket Association will inaugurate a life-size statue of the former India captain, and members of the current Indian team are expected to grace the event. In February, MCA president Amol Kale announced that the association was planning to erect a life-size statue of Tendulkar as a tribute to the legend, who turned 50 in April.
Ashraful in the house
Not many noticed Mohammad Ashraful at the Wankhede Stadium press box. But the former Bangladesh captain, who is currently in India as a commentator for a Bengali sports outlet, enjoyed each and every moment of the South Africa vs. England fixture. “It feels so good to be back in Mumbai,” he told Sportstar with a smile.
Way back in 2009, Ashraful was in Mumbai for a week-long training session with the Mumbai Indians before flying out to South Africa for the IPL. “The ground still has that old charm, and I am expecting some high-scoring games here during the World Cup,” he said.
And South Africa proved him right by setting a 400-run target for England. While Ashraful thoroughly enjoyed Klaasen’s blitzkrieg, sitting in one corner of the press box, he made it a point to catch up with former India internationals Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh during the innings break. A member of the 2007 ODI World Cup team that stunned India, Ashraful was banned for five years for involvement in corruption, but he returned to mainstream cricket in 2018 and still plays first-class cricket in Bangladesh and England. “Once I am done playing, I want to do some coaching,” he said.
Shayan Acharya
Comments
SHARE