JOIN USBengalureans, who had braved the rain and the muck on the road to reach the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday for the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad, were a disappointed lot with RCB losing miserably. However, the moment the match began, the stadium started resembling a party scene. There was colour and glamour with all kinds of spectators — young and old Bengalureans, celebrities, expatriates and tourists.
At the lounges, people were seen having a good time helping themselves to unlimited food and beverages. There was a fair sprinkling of expatriates too — those who had come on work and those who are living in the City. Dressed in a red T-shirt, Ben Hallam, an employee with Philips and a native of Australia, described the atmosphere as infectious. “It’s great to be out here amidst so much screaming and excitement. You just can’t be grim and serious in such an atmosphere,” he said.
Daphne Jackson and William Buck, both IT professionals based in New York, were in the City on work. When they heard about the IPL, they didn’t want to miss it. Rooting for RCB, William said, “This is my first IPL match and I am still trying to get used to the rush here. Coming after the World Cup, I find this a welcome change. I am looking forward to seeing all the popular names like Virat Kohli and David Warner.” Daphne pitched in saying that back in New York, it’s baseball that’s popular. “There are a few Indians who form small groups and play cricket in small teams. This is the first time I am exposed to cricket crazy fans,” she observed.
Wendy Liao from Taiwan, who is here on work, said reading about the IPL on the Net was fascinating. “Now that I am here, I am enjoying every bit of it. It’s amazing how the crowd integrates at so many different levels,” she said. Olivier Marchand from France found the rules of cricket quite complicated. “I don’t really follow the sport but when a bunch of my friends were coming out here, I was keen to come too. I got to savour some great Indian food and understand a sport that I didn’t know much about,” he said.
There was plenty of fashion too. Most spectators were seen sporting easy-to-wear, upbeat and fashion-forward clothes. Susan Thomas, a professional, couldn’t think of a better place to unwind and made all efforts to dress up for the match. “The last IPL match I watched live was four years ago in Jaipur. I think dressing up is an important part of looking good. So, I am wearing black culottes, a matching block-printed top and a beaded neckpiece,” Susan explained.
Fifteen-year-old Jasmine Pannu Yuon is half-Indian and half-Japanese. She was dressed from head to toe in red. “I must say that my choice of clothes and accessories are coincidental. I was out all day in a pair of red denims and a red sweater but when I learnt that I was going to the match I wanted to be every inch a true RCB supporter, so I bought a red T-shirt and red cap as well,” she added. The match also attracted a lot of elderly sports enthusiasts. In his early eighties, Krishnaswamy came to watch the match with his son Vishwanath and family. He said, “I was disappointed when it rained but once the rains stopped, we lost no time in heading out to watch the match. I’ve watched cricket all my life and didn’t want to miss a chance to watch the IPL ‘tamasha’ live.”
Seventy-two-year-old Rajan and his wife Remole from Kerala are here on a vacation and this was their first IPL match. “We’ve never seen something like this before. It has added to the charm of our holiday in Bengaluru,” they added.