Waiting for the action to begin

So what if the Indian Premier League (IPL) left behind a lot of muck and a few players were allegedly caught on the wrong foot? People seem unperturbed by all that and are ready to lap up all the action and fun happening on and off the pitch.

The first of the five matches, that are scheduled in the City, will be held on Sunday. And cricket buffs are more than looking forward to the last few matches of this season of the IPL.

IPL enthusiasts are already marking the date on the calender. It’s entertainment that they want and IPL gives them exactly that. Metrolife caught up with a few regular IPL-goers who confess that this is the only time of the year that they get to see all their favourite cricketers on and off the pitch.

The ticket counters have opened and there are at least 10 people at each counter at any given point of time. A spokesperson with Ticketgenie, in-charge of IPL ticket sales, says, “The ticket sales have been soaring and it looks like people have been waiting for the matches in the City. The lounge tickets usually go for bulk booking but the smaller stand tickets get sold out much earlier.” The lounges for this year’s IPL have been redone.

Well-lit and renovated to resemble a party scene, it now has wall-to-wall carpets, repainted walls and ceilings complete with chandeliers. And the organisers have paid through their nose to make sure they offer value for money. Most of these lounges have registered bulk booking from corporates, companies and the who’s who of the City.

The spectators at these lounges help themselves to unlimited booze, flaunt the funkiest of their wardrobe and make sure they make the best of what is on offer. “There will be five matches in Bangalore and most of the lounges remain the same from last time. The J-Corporate lounge and P2 lounge, priced at Rs 33,000 and Rs 55,000 respectively, are popular with the CEOs, ministers, business tycoons and their families.

The menu is extensive and will include dishes that will cater to every palate,” explained a senior official managing the IPL in the City. More than winning or losing, the IPL fans confess that going to the match is entertaining and de-stressing. The lounges are popular with the IT and corporate crowd who make sure they wrap up their work well in time to be there for the match.

Robert, an Australian working for a bank, says that IPL is showmanship at its best. “The energy at the stadium is infectious. We don’t see half the enthusiasm and crowd at matches back in our country,” he says.

Parthiban, an IT professional, says that he will miss watching Sachin play this season, “But, I’ve always been crazy about cricket and IPL has always added that tinge of glamour to it. Come summer and the eagerness to watch IPL is inevitable,” he says.

Dinesh, a student of Delhi Public School, thinks that IPL has brought a lot of life into cricket. “I read about the players getting into a lot of mess but it is cricket and I love the sport and play it too. Watching IPL live at the stadium gives me a high and I don’t want to miss out on that,” he sums up.