In the grip of IPL fever!

The old man near Bandrarsquos Ranwar sported an embarrassed smile hastily retrieved the keys from his pocket and reopened the shutter of his shop that he had just closed before lunch It was barely even 12 PM Shops here usually never shut down until 3 PMldquoHave shut my shop early to watch the IPL Beti daughterrdquo he said with a glint in his eye ldquoBut the match doesnt start until 4rdquo I inquired ldquoNo dear I want to see the prematch talk by these expertsrdquo he added gesturing towards his modestsized TV screen There is no reason to be taken aback by the level of commitment he shows towards the IPLEven the most rigid cricket atheists would admit that a few events ignite passion and excitement as the IPL doesldquoWe are fed plenty of thrillers something on and off the field keeps happeninghellipthey help us remain engaged As fans all we want is to watch good cricket thatrsquos all Itrsquos good to see families coming out together to watch IPL matches Kabhi khel toh kabhi hassi mazak Cricket and funrdquo said a local fan when asked what might have led to a remarkable buzz around the IPLAlso Read No shoulder to cry onldquoMumbai has such a high fanbase Hopping onto a crowded train is never easy if there is a match especially at this age Lots of supporters hopefully they win tonightrdquo points out another while perusing the sports section of a popular daily over tea just outside the Wankhede stadiumHe nonchalantly points to the picture of Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya and continues ldquoLuck has not been kind to him Bechara Kya pata aaj yeh hero bann jaye khiladi toh acha hai magar captaincy mein mushkile aarahi hai Poor guy He could score big tonight he is a good player but hersquos having trouble leading the teamrdquo The tea stall owner offers him a faint smile and assures ldquoKhelega aaj acha khelega woh jeet humari pakkirdquo he will play well tonight we are going to win this matchBack at the stadium the air hummed with anticipation as fans settled into their seats the energy palpable amid the gathering throng Young fans adorned in their favourite team and players jerseys flocked excitedly accompanied by their families while some went a little too far by having Mumbairsquos acronym MI painted on their cheeksNow what was it that drew all these people not the stereotypical maledominated cricket audience but grandparents housewives toddlers retired folk and college goers From convenience to the freshness of the IPL experience and better facilities in the stadiums many elements have played a partThe Wankhede was still a long train ride from her hotel in the Mumbai suburbs of Lata Agrawal but other aspects of the fan experience are improving Its pretty convenient now A lot better than how it was in the past Clean toilets easy drinking water no seat shortage absolutely pleasurable Irsquom looking forward to attending matches in my hometown Delhi and as I had no meeting today I thought Irsquoll join Itrsquos better to enjoy the match on the ground rather than sitting idle at the hotelrdquo she said while continuously maintaining a vigilant eye on her watch ldquoHope I reach on timerdquo smiled the 29yearoldldquoAs much as I would love to take my kids out for an ODI I donrsquot have the time to sit for an entire day As a single mother it becomes tough to manage all at once But as a mother of two young sons I must ensure they take an interest in sports from an early age Hence Irsquom here Plus Mumbai is my home Nothingrsquos better than this Irsquom sure we are winning tonightrdquo said Amita Parekar a banker from ChemburDivine intervention manifested as the prayers found fruition After three straight defeats Mumbai triumphantly upheld their reputation and exceeded all expectations against Delhi Capitals in front of a packed home crowd last SundayShould fansrsquo earnest prayers find fulfilment once more on Thursday Mumbai is likely to pip last yearrsquos runnerup Gujarat Titans in the points table and most importantly for Hardik it could be a catalyst for the restoration of his waning selfassurance and belief as a newlyappointed skipper