JOIN USWhen it rained stars
King Khan of Bollywood was the showstopper for the day. No wonder there were 40,000 fans who sat patiently through the rain-affected match. But such was RCB’s command that even the stars could not save KKR.
In fact, RCB too had enough ammunition in the form of Shivrajkumar and Ramya in its repertoire on the star quotient.
Juhi Chawla, Mamta Mohandas and Leander Paes too were around to enliven the proceedings. And the rain only gave enough opportunity to the spectators to gaze at their favourite stars.
The rain, though was a brief affair, as the looming storm had to make way for the Gayle effect. Once the storm failed to materialise, Gayle literally took over to ensure that there were no changes in RCB’s fortunes. The spectators were not complaining.
It was a double dhamaka as they sat with their eyes glued to the stands (where the stars stood) when it rained and turned focus on to the ground whenever the cricketing action resumed. Asma, Almas and Sara couldn’t get enough of SRK, “Hum dil bhar ke SRK ko dhek chuke hai,” said Asma, a diehard fan of SRK.
“SRK is not stunning to look at but there’s an aura about him,” added Almas. And Sara, who was just waiting to get a glimpse of the baadshah of Bollywood said, “I simply love him and I’ve never missed a chance to see him in person whenever I could afford to and this is one such occasion.”
However, Sowmya Ponnappa, a housewife, waited for Chris Gayle and Brett Lee to take to the field. “Even if the players played 13 overs, we just wanted to get a glimpse of Chris,” said Sowmya. “Cricket is the main attraction for me,” she added while her friend Paula pitched in, “Even if it’s a short game, it doesn’t matter as long as we get to see RCB win.” A lot of people in the audience couldn’t wait for the game to begin. They didn’t mind that it was a short game. “We had such a wonderful start with nearly three wickets falling. But now that the match has been reduced to 13 overs, it is more interesting,” said Paul, an employee with JP Morgan.
Shyam working with FCI, an MNC said, “It’s a short but an interesting game. Chris has changed the fate of RCB and that makes the game more interesting.” Shirisha, a student of Christ University, dragged her mother Chandu along for the game. “Our enthusiasm started to wear off as soon as the rains came. But just watching people wait has made the atmosphere more interesting,” said Shirisha.
Looks like people were certain that RCB would win despite Dilshan and Daniel Vettori missing from the team. They had pledged their faith in Virat’s captaincy working wonders and Gayle taking the team to the finals. “Virat is an inspiration to many young enthusiasts and I am sure he will go a long way in this game. He is confident and energetic,” said Preetham, from Dell.
Mamta Mohandas: “I am glad we have a Kochi team in IPL this year. I’ve always loved cricket and IPL has added an extra dimension to the game. I have a house in Bangalore and come here pretty often.”
Shah Rukh Khan: “Bangalore surely has an amazing energy, something I have not seen in any stadium so far. I came here on Friday evening and was at the stadium till 11 pm. I even tried my hand at the nets, it was fun but tiring. I surely miss the sportsman in me. It is unfortunate that it rained. I am hoping the best for KKR.”
Juhi Chawla: “It has been a whirlwind of a journey for the team this year. I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best. I even went to a temple and prayed before the match. The rain is making me nervous but I am still hoping for the best.”
Leander Paes: “Bangalore has always been a fun city. Even in this rain, one can see how vibrant the stadium is. One can just feed off it. When it comes to the RCB, it’s brilliant how the team has climbed up the points table. But today, I am here to support the KKR as the Bengali in me is alive.”