Heartbreak at packed restos, local clubs & homes as Aussies outplay Men in Blue

Kolkata: From highrise complexes to neighbourhood clubs and shopping mall atriums to restaurants and pubs, fans everywhere—who had gathered since morning to watch the India – Australia final match on big screens—were left dejected as the Aussies dominated the ‘men in blue’ throughout the game to lift the world cup trophy for the sixth time. “It was a complete heartbreak for all of us. We had set up a big screen on the lawn with food and snacks counters and amplifiers. We had also decked up the entire complex with lights and Indian flags hoping for an Indian victory. But it was not to be,” said Manoj Gupta of South City.Similar arrangements were made at complexes like New Town Heights, Greenfield Elements, Siddha Pines and Silver Spring, where residents had turned up in large numbers wearing India jerseys and hoisting the tricolour but many returned home midway through the match.“When India took three quick wickets, we had the majority of residents cheering for every ball. But then the partnership between Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head completely threw us out of the game. It could have been a different story had India managed to hold on to the Head’s catch on the first over,” said Manav Mehra of Siddha Pines.The scenes were similar at homes and neighbourhood clubs. “Since Gill left, we could never get back into the match. There was nothing much left to cheer for!” said Shabad Punjabi, who was watching the match at his home in Park Street .The city was soaked in disappointment across restaurants, pubs, malls and clubs. The excitement, though, was palpable at a central Kolkata restaurant as Bumrah and Shami ran in and bowled hard, picking up three early Australian wickets on Sunday evening. The crowd cheered in front of a big screen. Each ball was wildly cheered and each run scored led to despair. Many left their food and drinks to not miss even an inch of theaction.At South City mall, the ground floor atrium resembled a stadium with hundreds of visitors cheering India in front of a big screen. Many wore India jerseys and had their faces painted in tricolours. “It feels great to be among other Indian supporters. It gives you a sense of belonging and adds to the excitement of the game,” said Jogindra Jossi, a medical student.Seventy-two-year-old Lake Gardens resident Jitendra Som arrived at South City on his wheelchair, accompanied by his wife. The couple decided to cheer for India and get a stadium-like feeling instead of staying back at home. Park Street restaurants were crowded during lunch on Sunday as fans gathered for a quick meal before heading to other places to catch the action. Those with TV screens remained crowded till late afternoon.“We had a good attendance for lunch and some tables had been pre-booked. It started getting empty as the Indian innings progressed. With Indian bowlers bringing the team back into the match, the crowd started trickling back,” said Pratap Daryanani, owner of Oasis on Park Street.Songhai in central Kolkata had put up a giant screen and offered a free drink for every six struck by India. “But, there were few hits once Rohit Sharma departed. We still had a good attendance for lunch and dinner. We had feared that people will stay away. But many still turned up to cheer for India over food drinks,” said Sonhgai and Manthan owner Sudesh Poddar.
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