Living the moment

It's selfie time

Whenever an Indian Premier League (IPL) match is happening, the city wears a festive look. Amidst the thrill and the spills, one can’t help notice spectators taking selfies by the dozen. The setting inside the stadium provides the perfect opportunity for that prized click with the cricketers, not to forget those with family and friends.

Twelve-year-old Yotsna Gupta ran up to Mahendra Singh Dhoni the moment she saw him and got a selfie clicked with him. “It’s a picture of a lifetime and I will cherish it forever. I couldn’t believe that he obliged for a selfie. I watched him play and didn’t move an inch till the game was over because I was so overwhelmed,” says Yotsna.

Not everybody was as lucky as sisters Sajna and Sapna Ravindran, who managed to get a selfie with cricketer K L Rahul at one of the matches. Although he isn’t part of the league this year due to an injury, he seemed more than happy to oblige people’s requests for selfies. The sisters couldn’t contain their excitement after they got a picture. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Rahul in the lounge. My sister Sapna and I rushed to get a selfie with him. These opportunities don’t always come calling,” says Sajna who wasted no time in posting it on social media. 

A walk through the lounges and one can see families, expatriates, youngsters and professionals who had rushed from work to watch the match. Sriya Banerjee, an advertising professional, says that her prized selfie moment at the IPL match was with her father Amarnath Banerjee and her boyfriend Deep Pandya. “It is a rare moment to have my father and boyfriend together. I took a selfie with them and it will be one picture that I will cherish for life,” says Sriya.

Deep Pandya adds, “My selfie moment at the stadium is a picture taken with the spectators because they are the ones who make the atmosphere so lively.” Even the expatriates were spotted taking selfies.

The electrifying atmosphere and lively spaces within the lounges are attractive and perfect for selfies, point out Sandra and her husband David Bester from Port Elizabeth, who are holidaying here. “We’ve never seen such craze for any sport back home. It’s a treat to watch how people here soak in the spirit of the game. This our first IPL match and when we saw so many people taking selfies, we too began taking pictures. We love the experience,” sums up Sandra.