So what if we lost, the 'Gayle storm' is on...

The victory appeared to be on the side of the Punjab da puttars. So much so that all the throat power of the fans and Gayle’s willow could do little to save the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) from being mauled by the Kings XI Punjab in the match at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.

Not that the stadium was filled with partisan fans. There were a lot of Punjabis in the crowd who broke into a short bhangra every time their Punjabi mundas struck gold.

Lending power to Kings XI Punjab were Bollywood star Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia, the team owners.

Preity appeared to be exacting and tensed throughout the match and it was only towards the end of the game, when the boys won, that she looked
relaxed.

Actress Ramya, who came to support the RCB, was too engrossed in the game, and not bothered about all the attention she was attracting around her. When the game looked positive in the first half, Ramya was on the edge of her seat cheering.

“Right from the beginning, I have been telling everyone that this season belongs to the RCB. They did start off slow but I am sure that they will bring home the cup,” she said.

The fans drenched the stadium in colours of red and gold. So what if it was the middle of the week? The stadium was almost filled to capacity. Swaapnika, an engineering student who came with a bunch of her friends, said, “After last time’s disappointment, I really wanted to watch the RCB play. I am so glad that it didn’t rain. We all really enjoyed the game.”

Looks like the obsession with Chris Gayle is just growing with every game.
Even at this match, people of all ages chanted the cricketer’s name. There were posters beckoning him to hit sixes and break their noses too – all in an attempt to grab as much attention as possible. ‘Chris Gayle merchandise’ was selling like hot cakes.

Shruthi, a student, said that the team is nothing without Chris.

Her friend Prithvi added, “I don’t think the RCB would have reached this far without Chris’ sixes and fours. I don’t even think the crowd would have enjoyed the match without him.”

Fashion designer Ramesh Dembla was also seen among the crowd, with a group of his friends.

“This is the first time I am watching a match live and I wonder why I never came before. Just like a fashion show, there’s so much drama and energy here. I am still waiting for that nail-biting finish,” Ramesh pointed out.

Sumathi and Sashidhar, who have been following the IPL closely, said, “This form of cricket has brought a lot of women into the stadium. It’s a treat to watch Chris belt out sixes and fours. We love the game in any form.”

Shankar, an IT professional, said, “The last time I watched Chris in action was in Jamaica and now I am excited that I’ve got to watch him live in action. This is a surprise I got when I came to Bangalore on work,” he said.

Neeraj, working with Indivibe and a die-hard RCB fan concluded, “We have come here to have a good time and the IPL does offer wholesome entertainment.”