By IANS,
New Delhi: The security personnel manning the gates at the Ferozeshah Kotla had a ball Tuesday as they had nothing much to do with only the diehard fans turning up to watch minnows Kenya and Canada fighting it out in a World Cup encounter. In any case, it was never promised to be a huge draw.
Seeing Kenya lose half their side for 57 runs, the contest looked to be fast approaching an end till the African side rallied to make a match of it by scoring 198.
As Kenya lost all those early wickets, a peeved policeman suggested that matches between the minnows should be reduced to Twenty20s.
“What is the point if they can’t play 50 overs. At least a Twenty20 match would shorten their misery and ours too,” he quipped.
The policemen know that their hands will be full when India play the Netherlands here Wednesday.
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Waiting for India match
India will take on the Netherlands here Wednesday and the preparations for the match are in full swing. It will be the last 2011 World Cup match here and the only one in which the home team figures.
The security Monday was a lot tighter and even the traffic flow was diverted to keep it to a bare minimum on the road outside the stadium.
In fact, a lot of fans at the ticket counters were discussing about India’s match against the Dutch and hoping for the last-minute possibility of getting a match ticket.
“Delhi have been given low profile, dull matches. Even India’s match is against minnows, but at least it will give us a chance to see our players in action. I have managed a ticket of the match and I am excited about it,” Saurabh Bali, a college student, told IANS.
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Balaji Rao has no regrets
He wanted to play for India, but Canadian leg-spinner W.D. Balaji Rao has no regrets representing Canada.
Balaji played for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket and even played for India A. But then life took a turn and he went to Canada to pursue higher studies. There he got a chance to carry on with his cricket career.
A nostalgic Rao is nevertheless happy to be playing in the World Cup for his adopted country.
“I am really excited to be playing in the World Cup. India taught me to love cricket, but it is Canada, which gave me the platform to showcase my talent,” Rao, 32, said.