Five things that lifted me on a spirit-sapping evening at Sahara Stadium, Pune
Although a regular follower of cricket, I somehow never got the opportunity of watching a cricket match in a stadium. I sought to remedy that by attending the first ODI between India and Australia. When I got to know that it was the first ODI ever to be held in the Subrata Roy Sahara stadium as well, I was looking forward to a smashing debut both for the stadium and my stadium going, where India’s win would trigger wild celebrations all around. So, you can imagine my disappointment sitting there by the boundary and watching in horror as Team India slowly tumbled downhill towards defeat. But despite all that, I left the stadium with a smile, as a few little things kept me afloat on what was otherwise a depressing evening for a hardcore Indian fan.
5. Pune crowd:
It is said that the mob has many heads, but no brains. Well, the Pune mob did have one, and an admirable one at that. While the occasional glare or word by the Australian infielders was vociferously booed and hooted, Pune crowd has been exemplary as sports spectators. It’s not every day that a touring team is greeted with wholehearted applause for good bowling or fielding efforts, especially when the home team is floundering with barely one foot on a buoy. It was heartening to see that amidst all the boisterousness and clamor, the Pune crowd did not lose its sense of hospitality.