The big letdown!

No match

The IPL, which has become almost an obsession with the youngsters in the City, took an ugly turn on Saturday with the blasts around Chinnaswamy Stadium and the discovery of more live bombs outside. Now that the venue of the semi-finals has been shifted to Mumbai, cricket fans in the City say that they are going to miss watching the game. Metrolife takes a look at how the youngsters are coping with the change in venue.  
“I had watched most of the matches in the stadium. I am disappointed by the turn of events,” said Anurag S Rao, a student. “I had gone to see every match in the stadium and not being able to see the semi-finals is such a letdown,” says Shaman, a student. “I had booked the tickets for the semi-finals and now I will have to get a refund,” says Gopikrishna S, a student. “It’s damn sad, what has happened,” adds Nitya, from Mount Carmel College.

 While the sadness is palpable among cricket fans, it is surprising how the bomb scare had no effect on these young people. Many still want the semis to be held in the City. “This decision is disheartening for the cricket fans in Bangalore and I personally want the semi-finals back here,” says Bharadwaj, a student.

“It is really sad that the semis have bee shifted. Instead, it should have been held in Bangalore under tighter security,” says Abhijith, a student. “There was no need to change the venue because the bombs were planted only to create panic,” says Kishen, a student. “And it was only a crude bomb!” adds Nitya.

Another burning issue is the security in the City. “I feel the bombs were planted by anti-social elements who don’t like all the fuss around IPL but this goes to show the slack security in the City,” says Keerthivaran, a student. “Bombs have been found in the past as well,” says Anurag.

 But there are some who think that the decision to shift venue was necessary for a safe IPL match. “All the matches to be held in Hyderabad were shifted because of political instability, so shifting the semis due to the blasts is not surprising,” says Chaitanya, a professional.

“It’s good that the semi-finals got shifted. With tighter security cover, they can hopefully ensure a safe event,” says Anand C R, a student. But some, who are watching all the action on TV, are not bothered. “It is sad that the venue has changed but it doesn’t affect TV viewers like me,” adds Chaitanya.