Fans still mourn India’s ‘exit’
Ardent home fans still mourning India’s exit from the World Twenty20.
The atmosphere was subdued Saturday in Kolkata, the former colonial capital of British India, with the home side cooling their heels following their heart-breaking seven-wicket defeat to the Caribbean team in the semis.
The deadly collapse of a partially built flyover days ago has also cast a pall over the eastern city, as it prepare to host the last match of the tournament at the Eden Gardens stadium.
The West Indies’ Chris Gayle has been an overwhelming favourite with city fans following his batting exploits with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the hugely popular Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 tournament. “It’s disappointing India is out,” said Amit Das, a taxi driver in Kolkata. “But we expect Gayle to light up Eden with his big-hitting. He has played for KKR so we are with Windies,” he told AFP.
Sitting on a wall outside the stadium, friends Imran Ahmad and Sanjib Mondal said they would be rooting for Eoin Morgan’s men during the game.
“Obviously we would have been supporting India but because they were knocked out we had to pick another team and we pick England,” said Mondal, 24, who has a ticket for the title contest.
Despite dashed hopes of seeing their home team in the final, organisers were banking on the city’s love for sports and were expecting a full stadium for Sunday’s blockbuster.
But not everyone in the city was keen to join the party without the hosts, with some dejected fans contemplating selling off their tickets.