By Fakir Balaji, IANS,
Bangalore: The match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kings XI Punjab Tuesday in the Indian Premier League turned into a carnival at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here as the home team overpowered the rivals by eight wickets.
About 30,000 boisterous fans hooted for the home team led by Anil Kumble after Kings XI put up a formidable score (203 runs) in the first session having won the toss and elected to bat.
When RCB fashioned the victory in 18.5 overs, the crowds went into raptures – bursting fire-crackers, whistling and blowing trumpets.
“The atmosphere is simply electrifying! More than a battle between bat and ball, the T20 is essentially a fun game with glorious uncertainty. It doesn’t matter who wins and loses as long as the spirit of the game is kept alive,” said D. Lakshman, a software engineer who watched the match.
RCB owner and business tycoon Vijay Mallya, who cheered his team from the royal box, seemed relieved to see his boys back in the reckoning.
RCB official ambassadors Bollywood star Deepika Padukone and Kannada actress Ramya too joined the victory celebrations.
In contrast, Kings XI owner and Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, who was upbeat about her team posting over 200 runs on the board, was clearly disappointed. She made a quick exit from the VIP box into the dressing room to comfort her ‘boys’.
“It was worth the money and time I have spent coming all the way from Mysore to see RCB win…I plan to come here again Thursday evening when the home team takes on Rajasthan Royals as I want to see its great spinner Shane Warne bowl and the swashbuckling Yusuf Pathan hit sixes,” said Ram Murthy, a consultant.
Local lad Robin Uthappa, who belted 51 runs in just 21 balls with four mighty sixes and four fours, got a standing ovation from the crowds.
RCB opener Jacque Kallis, who won the ‘man of the match’ for his 88 runs in 51 balls with five awesome sixes and eight fours, had the fans roaring every time he batted, as he remained unbeaten for the second consecutive time playing through the innings.
Mallya’s son Siddhartha presented the ‘man of the match’ award and a cheque for Rs.100,000 to Kallis.
Karnataka Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath presented RCB captain Kumble the award for winning the match.
Throughout the match lasting over three hours, the 12-member squad of White Mischief Gals, the official cheerleaders of RCB, were the star attraction, as they gave scintillating performance during breaks, dancing to western and native numbers.
Though the stadium has a capacity to seat about 40,000 spectators, there were a few empty patches in the stands priced above Rs.1,600 per ticket.
“The response this time is not as high as it was in the inaugural IPL event in 2007 though we have reduced the ticket price substantially from last time,” said an official of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), coordinating ticket sales with the IPL management.
To ensure youth make it to the stadium in large numbers, the organisers reserved about 500 seats for college students at Rs.220 per ticket in the eastern stands.