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Ekana goes electric as 47k fans sing ‘Vande Mataram’; Tricolours paint the sky
The stadium pulsated with the beats of popular Bollywood tracks, particularly Bhojpuri songs, while the flicker of countless torchlights and the fluttering of the Indian tricolour elevated the spectacle to a new level.
LUCKNOW: City’s Ekana Stadium came alive with an electrifying atmosphere on Sunday as 47,000 passionate cricket fans sang “Vande Mataram” in unison during the high-stakes ODI World Cup clash between Team India and defending champions England. The resonance was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
In addition to the National Song that filled the air with patriotism, the raucous cheers for Team India created an electrifying atmosphere as the floodlights of the Ekana stadium dimmed during a breathtaking laser show. The stadium also pulsated with the beats of popular Bollywood tracks, particularly Bhojpuri songs, while the flicker of countless torchlights and the fluttering of the Indian tricolour elevated the spectacle to a new level.
The scene at the match’s outset was equally spellbinding, with fans rising to their feet as the National Anthems of both nations rang out in the afternoon breeze. The entire stadium metamorphosed into a ‘Sea of Blue’ as almost every spectator donned the Indian jersey, adorned with the names of their cricketing idols, such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and more.
The roads leading to the stadium were thronged with fans, their faces painted with the Tricolour, holding aloft patriotic placards. The fervent crowd raised spirited slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Hindustan Zindabad.”
As Team India’s innings drew to a close, the stadium housed nearly 40,000 spectators, and this number continued to swell, even as England stumbled, losing five wickets for a mere 52 runs in pursuit of 230. Thousands had queued outside the stadium from the break of dawn.
Many loyal fans of former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the ‘Master Blaster,’ Sachin Tendulkar, made their way to the stadium bedecked in jerseys emblazoned with their names.
When Shubman Gill smashed the first boundary on the third ball of the second over, the stadium erupted in thunderous applause. “It’s a momentous day in my life as I witnessed the Indian cricket team in action for the first time, and that too in a World Cup game,” exclaimed a young fan, Kishore Tripathi. “I secured my ticket well in advance, unwilling to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he added.
Prateek Rai, who journeyed from Nagpur, couldn’t contain his excitement at seeing his hero, Team India skipper Rohit Sharma, achieve a half-century. “I arrived at my grandmother’s residence in Lucknow two days ahead of time from Nagpur just to witness Rohit Sharma’s prowess firsthand, and I’m elated that he delivered a stellar innings before my eyes. It’s truly a dream come true for me,” declared Rai, a BTech student.
