It was the crowning glory

The Ugadi celebrations of Bangaloreans had begun early on Thursday morning in all its splendour.

And they were in no mood to settle for anything but a sweet victory when theytrooped into Chinnaswamy Stadium almost an hour before the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was scheduled to begin.

The boys of the home team, surely, did not fail the spectators.

So what if Shah Rukh Khan wasn’t there? Fans who had come with their families on Ugadi got their money’s worth.

The show did go on and one saw entertainment at its best. The stadium
was drenched in red with everybody cheering for an RCB victory.
 
There were a few tense moments on the field. While KKR struggled to get past the 20 overs with a decent score, it seemed like a cakewalk for RCB with the ‘Gayle storm’ hitting Chinnaswamy Stadium early in the match. While a visibly exasperated Virat was seen leaving the ground after he was bowled out, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle created magic with Chris remaining unbeatable till the end. The crowd screamed and Chris seemed determined to settle for nothing less than sixes and fours. He gave the crowd what they asked for — a smooth win.

The stadium had its fair share of Sandalwood stars. Sanjjanaa, who is fresh from her ‘Bigg Boss’ stint, was waiting to see Shah Rukh Khan, although she has been cheering for RCB. Ragini was also seen cheering for the RCB.

The crowd reacted to every move on the field.

Moments of happiness and disappointment were clearly visible and they soaked in all the excitement. This was the first IPL match that Priyanka, a student, had attended and being a big fan of Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli, she said that the experience was something she will not forget. “The way Chris Gayle was hitting only boundaries, it sure was a great Ugadi gift. It was worth making the trip to the stadium,” she said.
Preethi, a big KKR fan, came to see her favourite star Shah Rukh Khan. “I was disappointed that Shah Rukh didn’t come and the loss of the team just added to that. Nevertheless, it was a good game,” she added.

Spurthi, a student who had come with her friends for the match, felt that Chris Gayle was the saviour. “I come only to watch Gayle in action. Though we watch him on television, watching the real thing is a different experience,” she opined. 

Syed Meeran and his sister Javeria Hussain, who are big fans of RCB, came with their family members — of not less than 13 people. “We usually watch the IPL matches at home. This is our first visit

to the stadium and I am thrilled,” said Javeria. Syed pitched in, “Watching a match live offers a different feel. I’ve been screaming and cheering since I entered the stadium and just can’t stop.”

Fourteen-year-old Anmol plays cricket in school and has ben following RCB very closely. “There is a great sense of bonding among the RCB team. I don’t have favourites and I think they’re all good players,” he said.

Sharmila Nicollete, golfer: “I always wanted to attend an IPL match and I finally found time to come for my first one. I came to cheer for RCB and even got a few red streaks in my hair to show my support. The energy here is something that I haven’t experienced before. And the highlight of the day has to be the boundaries that the team hit.”

Glamour on the field

Rajshri Ponnappa, actress: “The RCB truely deserve to reach the finals, for they have been proving their worth time and again. There were a few tense moments on the field but I think they really handled themselves well.”

Ragini Dwivedi, actress: “I enjoy the IPL for all the glitz, glamour and sport. This match has been exciting and it looks like the RCB have given a nice gift to
Bangaloreans this Ugadi.”

Sanjjanaa, actress: “I wait for the IPL season to arrive and although I am an RCB fan, I think it’s great fun to be here at every match and cheer for the teams.”