Cricket-mad Puneites soaked in celebrations on Wednesday night soon after the Team India’s convincing victory over arch rivals Pakistan in the crucial semi-finals of the ICC World Cup in Mohali.
Cricket-mad Puneites soaked in celebrations on Wednesday night soon after the Team India’s convincing victory over arch rivals Pakistan in the crucial semi-finals of the ICC World Cup in Mohali.
Right from a few Puneites, who watched the match at the Mohali stadium to those who remained glued to their TV sets in the city, the stupendous win was more than satisfying.
A Puneite, Pavitra Walvekar, who managed to procure a ticket for the Mohali, described the atmosphere at the stadium as electrifying after the match was over. “I screamed my lungs out along with locals and continued to chant ‘Ganpati Bappa Maurya’ to drum beats. Team India has not let the nation down. I did the right thing by coming to Mohali to watch the captivating match,” Walvekar told DNA over the phone.
Another Puneite Tehseen Poonawala in Mohali confessed that he did not see such frenzy before. “My throats went sore due to constant screaming and the celebrations began after Afridi departed. And by the end of the 49th over, we started wishing each other at the stadium,” he said.
Back in Pune different city roads teemed with motorists beeping the horns of their vehicles, bursting crackers and dancing with joy with shouts of ‘India Jai Ho’.
On Sinhagad Road, the local youths danced in front of a replica of the World Cup. They stopped motorists and forced them to dance with them.
The surging crowd on Jungli Maharaj Road and Fergusson College Road chocked the flow of traffic. Hundreds of cars and two-wheelers were stationed on the middle of the road and people continued to dance merrily. “The match was spectacular. I am extremely happy that the Indian team maintained its winning streak defeating Pakistan in all World Cup matches. And the manner the team has played, I am confident that Dhoni would lift the Cup in Mumbai on Saturday,” said a youth, Omkar Paranjpe.
Another youth, Yogesh Gaidhani, a software professional, said, “At one stage he I thought that Pakistan would clinch the match. But our bowlers proved that they are as good as our batsmen. I felt sorry for Sachin for missing his century,” he said.
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