Spontaneous celebrations across the state

AHMEDABAD/VADODARA/SURAT: After a lot of nail-biting, when Ashish Nehra finally took a wicket off the last ball of the ODI in Karachi on Saturday, there was no stopping the celebrations across Gujarat.
In Ahmedabad, popular hangouts like CG Road were flooded with cricket enthusiasts, who celebrated India’s victory by bursting crackers and distributing sweets.
The Municipal Market was filled with screaming cricket enthusiasts. The police, anticipating trouble, kept the crowd on a leash.
“We enjoyed the match, though our board exams begin on Monday,� said an ecstatic Hitesh Panchal, a class 12 student. “I lied to my parents that I was studying at a friend’s place and went with friends to watch cricket,� said another student Chirag Aggrawal.“We would have failed in exams had India lost the game,� he added, with a smile.
"I am doubly happy as I won Rs 400 in a bet with a friend," said Pranay Gondolia, an employee at Barishta.
It was also time for some to become generous. Janak Shah of Dairy Den treated all his customers to icecreams and Gul Kinger of Kid’s Needs gave a 10 per cent discount to customers.
“What a victory it was!� said a visibly excited Kinger. Add to this ‘pedas’ and ‘rasgullas’ distributed by ‘Rasranjan’ and the picture is complete.
"My heart skipped a beat when the last ball was thrown. But I was on top of the world when we won. I was looking forward to India''s victory," said auto-rickshaw driver Bhupendra Khatri.
In Vadodara, one could hear the echo of a roaring applause from multi-storeyed buildings. After the win almost immediately, empty streets began filling up with people bursting crackers.
The unofficial curfew that the match had clamped on the city came to an end with vehicles zooming onto the streets giving the traffic cops a tough time, with drivers waving the tri-colour and showing the V-sign to everybody.
“During the last few overs, every one squeezed into the cabin of the boss to cheer the winning team. Our icecream party was destined to happen today,� beamed Snehal Parikh, who heads an advertising agency.
At many tuition classes along Old Padra Road, teaching came to a standstill during the last few overs of the nail-biting match. And as soon as India won the match, boys and girls poured out onto the streets, cheering and bursting crackers.
There were celebrations in Surat too, with cricket buffs brimming the roads at Athwaline, Ghod Dod, Piplod and Bhatar areas.
People rushed to the streets to burst crackers to celebrate India’s victory.