India’s defeat knocks the fizz out of Independence Cup final

CHANDIGARH, May 22: The perfervid cricket fans in this region, anticipating India’s entry into the finals of the Pepsi Independence Cup at Mohali, conjured visions of Tendulkar and company setting the PCA Stadium ablaze with their fireworks. But those hopes and visions came dashing to the ground when demolition man’ Saeed Anwar bludgeoned India at the Chepauk on Wednesday evening.

To say that the fans here are disappointed would be stating the obvious. But to say that they have lost all interest in the Independence Cup would be incorrect. Their ardour has diminished but it has not disappeared altogether. According to officials at the PCA Stadium the tickets of the general block are all sold out. But the costlier ones have not been sold fully. The tickets however were sold much in advance in the hope of a final featuring India and now it remains to be seen how many will actually turn up at the venue — especially fans coming from outside Chandigarh.

Even the majority of the city hotels are booked completely but these too were booked much in advance but now that the scenario has altered somewhat, some late cancellations cannot be ruled out.

Story continues below this ad

But the crowds here are knowledgeable and appreciate the fact that the two best teams in the competition have made it to the finals. That India is not amongst the two is a sad but indisputable fact.

“Cricket will be good because two deserving teams are playing but there is sadness around because India has not made it,” said former Punjab Ranji player and now international umpire Jasbir Singh, who is in charge of the Mohali wicket for the final and was sweating it out in the sun today getting the extra grass shorn off the wicket.