IPL frenzy at zenith much before match

At around 6.20 pm on Wednesday, a bus carrying the team members of the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) zipped past hundreds of fans on Queen’s Road just outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here.

The crowd went berserk with excitement.

Soon after, as another bus carrying members of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made its way towards the stadium, fans madly scrambled towards it waving wildly to get noticed and for a chance to get a good click from their camera phones.

The eagerly awaited final match of the Indian Premier League (IPL)-7 was scheduled to start at 8 pm.

But fans - the young, the old and the middle aged - had already gathered outside the stadium as early as 3 pm, spilling onto the streets as far as MG Road and the Indian Express junction and adjoining areas in large numbers.  

Cricket enthusiasts from the City, Dr Deepa Joshi and Lakshmi had come with their families for the match and were hurriedly making their way into the stadium before the crowd swelled further.

“We are a group of eight members. I personally want Kings XI Punjab to win because they have never won it before. While most of the elders want Punjab to win, the kids want the opposite,” said Lakshmi.

“I am a big fan of George Bailey from Kings XI Punjab and I want his team to win,” said Pranav, the smallest member in the group. 

The road on both sides of Queen’s Road was chock-a-block with fans and the police busy driving away a small gathering of people in the middle of the road. Shameel Ahmed, an Indian-origin Malaysian, was in Bangalore only for the match.

“I have been in Bangalore for the past three days. I spent two days at a friend’s place and one day in a hotel. It is going to be one epic clash,” he said.

Away from the commotion was Mike Clement, a British citizen who has been following the IPL since its inception and a big fan of team KKR.

“Robin Uthappa plays very well and there are other classy players like Sunil Naraine, all of whom are a joy to watch,” he said.

Making the most of the frenzy were a number of vendors selling varied merchandise, who had come from outside the State. With a band across his forehead, Robin Rai was enthusiastically waving a number of KKR and KIXP flags on MG Road.

“I have come all the way from Kolkata and since it is a grand finale, I hope to do some good business,” said Robin.