The missing buzz

The stadium, which can accommodate 50,000 people, was less than half the capacity when the game commenced, a far cry from the inaugural match held here in 2008 when it was packed to the full.

The crowd was then treated a thrilling game by Australian great Adam Gilchrist, who got a hundred by showing his clean hitting prowess for Deccan Chargers against Sachin Tendulkar’s Mumbai Indians.

The top-class venue with excellent amenities for the public has held two IPL finals, in 2008 and 2010, when Lalit Modi was calling the shots as the chairman of the Twenty20 League.

This year, it’s the home venue for the Sahara-owned Warriors franchise outfit, led by Indian team’s World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh, because the new stadium in Pune is yet to be completed. Incidentally, Gilchrist is playing his first match of the season like he did in 2008, but as captain of the Mohali franchise. This season, the stadium is hosting seven matches involving the Warriors.