Night after triumph: City fans make it an affair to remember with fireworks, abir & Tricolour

Kolkata: As India lifted the T20 World Cup for the third time on Sunday, Kolkata erupted into a roaring carnival, setting off hours of unrestrained celebrations that spilled from living rooms on to streets, flyovers, cafés and nightclubs across the city.The moment Tilak Verma clinched New Zealand number 11 Jacob Duffy's catch inches from the boundary ropes, confirming India's victory, a deafening wave of cheers rolled through neighbourhoods. Fans erupted in joy, fireworks lit up the sky, and the city slipped into a sleepless celebration that continued well into early Monday. The scenes were reminiscent of a festival night.
Groups of supporters poured onto Park Street, Harish Mukherjee Street, Elgin Road, Ruby crossing, Patuli crossing, Jadavpur 8B crossing, Behala Chowrasta and other places, wrapped in the Tricolour. Many sported blue Indian jerseys and waved flags as car horns blared in jubilation.In Kasba, hundreds gathered on the main road where large screens were installed to watch the match. Even before the result became official, the area instantly transformed into a dance floor. "We lit firecrackers and danced on the road with teenagers and elderly residents alike. Everyone was out on the road till as late as 2 am," said Ranjan Naskar of Nabapally, Kasba.Music blared from speakers, strangers embraced each other, and fans hoisted posters of their favourite cricketers while chanting ‘India! India!' Traffic slowed to a crawl as the celebrations took over the street.Near Ballygunge Phari, young supporters raced down the road on motorcycles, with giant flags fluttering behind them. Others formed spontaneous circles on the pavement, dancing and playing patriotic songs on car speakers with windows rolled down.Some party supporters at CM Mamata Banerjee's dharna manch who watched majority of the match on their cellphones had also joined the celebrations after the win around midnight.In south Kolkata, a major celebration post the tournament was spotted at Harish Mukherjee Road near a popular dhaba. The road was shut for over 40 minutes, and cops were deployed to keep tabs on the revellers and ensure a free passage of ambulances to the biggest state-run medical facility, SSKM Hospital.In north Kolkata's Shyambazar, youngsters sprinted through the streets waving a massive Tricolour, while others rode through neighbourhood lanes shouting the names of Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.Similar scenes unfolded in Dum Dum, Baranagar and Lake Gardens, where residents emerged from their homes to join the celebrations. Subham Sen, secretary of Ahiritola Yubak Brinda in Beniatola, said: "Post match, we streamed into the road with the Tricolour. Our jubilation lasted for hours as we burst crackers, smeared each other with abir, and distributed sweets in the neighbourhood."Restaurants, bars and cafés were also packed with fans who turned the final into a late-night watch party. Several establishments reported packed houses from evening till midnight as patrons followed every twist of the thrilling contest."It was a no contest since India posted such a huge total. But the near scare in the semi-final kept us on the edge. As New Zealand kept losing wickets regularly, we knew it was just a matter of time before we got to celebrate again," said Apoorva Sharma, who was at a Southern Avenue pub enjoying the match with friends.