Chennai fans had a blast savouring India’s bravery and class act

By K.R. Nayar
From M. A. Chidambaram Stadium

Chennai. Chennai cricket fans have always appreciated boldness and bravery, be it from the Indian team or from a visiting team. On Thursday, the Indian team gave them plenty to cheer during the course of their 72 runs win over Zimbabwe. It was a performance wrapped in authority and flair, one that re-instated the belief that they can remain T20 World Cup champions. 

Chennai fans celebrate India's big win. Photo: ICC 

From the very first over, they lived up to the hopes of the crowd as well as the whole of India, thanks to the positive start by Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. They batted as if they had never been out of form and struck with authority. This was exactly what the crowd wanted.

In T20 cricket, momentum is like oxygen, and the Indian batters never allowed Zimbabwe to breathe. When the openers provided a breezy start, the dressing room relaxed, the fans cheered, and it boosted the rest to go for the kill. Zimbabwe began chasing balls to the boundaries instead of chasing wickets.

Message from the batters

The crowd was thrilled to witness the original Abhishek Sharma, who displayed both elegance and audacity. Every lofted drive and pull shot sent out two messages — one was that he was still a destroyer of the bowling despite his string of zeroes, and the other was that the Indian team was there to go for the kill. 

Hardik Pandya’s massacre of the bowling, along with Tilak Varma, was lauded because they took the total beyond Zimbabwe’s reach. Varma’s knock ensured the run rate never dipped; instead it shot up. Each of his sixes was like a blow to a few who said he needed to be dropped.

Arshdeep’s clinical spell

After the batters built hope, pacer Arshdeep Singh guarded it fiercely. His spell was clinical. In T20 cricket, breakthroughs are like currency — and Arshdeep helped India cash in on them. The big win in Chennai must have created doubts in the minds of West Indies players now.  It has lifted the sagging spirit of Indian fans, energising them with renewed hope. With Abhishek’s audacity, Hardik’s power, Tilak’s composure, and Arshdeep’s precision, India looks balanced and bold.

The colourful informative team sheet. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

A professional team sheet

Since most people on this venue are knowledgeable about the game, everything is presented professionally here. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) team sheet was colourful and presented not only the names of the players but also the support staff of both teams. There is big respect here for everyone connected with the game, and all names are printed, including names of the press box scorer, announcer, and the Duckworth-Lewis manager. The team list is a good reference sheet for every journalist.

Anirudh Ravichander. Photo: ICC

Anirudh Ravichander show

The official anthem for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, titled Feel the Thrill, has been composed and sung by Indian music director and singer Anirudh Ravichander. He performed before the start of the India-Zimbabwe match at the ground. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) made the evening special for the fans with fireworks. It resembled an opening ceremony of the World Cup. The lyrics in Feel the Thrill are quite imaginative, and one line says: “This is where national pride swings with every shot / Where passion hits as hard as the ball.”

The city's experinced lady auto driver. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Lady auto driver

After the match, it was a massive challenge to get a taxi or an Uber. And then all of a sudden there was queue of autos. The one that stopped for me was driven by a lady. Though there were many male auto drivers also waiting, I decided to follow the ‘Ladies First’ policy, knowing it would be a different experience. While I have travelled in lady-driven cabs at different cricket venues, this was a different ride. She drove fast, manoeuvring through the traffic with ease, which prompted me to ask whether she had been driving for long. I was surprised to hear that she has been an auto driver for 25 years. She also mentioned that there were nearly 200 lady auto drivers in the city. Continuing the conversation, she added that she was born in Pondicherry- and quickly corrected it to Puducherry, as it is now known. When it came to paying her at the end of the trip, she was happy to accept the normal rate, unlike most drivers who would bargain and ask for more.