E-Paper
From religious fervour to cricket fever, Lucknow gears for India-England showdown
Local fans, spanning across generations and gender, are eagerly anticipating a win for Team India in this ODI World Cup.
LUCKNOW Cricket fever is poised to rise in Lucknow immediately after the auspicious festival of Dussehra, as Team India gears up to face England on October 29.
The fervent passion for cricket in Lucknow has soared to unparalleled heights, with Team India’s unblemished record of five World Cup victories, all in anticipation of their upcoming clash with the defending champions, England, in a pivotal group encounter at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Local fans, spanning across generations and gender, are eagerly anticipating a win for Team India in this ODI World Cup. The “Men in Blue” have been on a remarkable winning streak, and the anticipation is building for the clash against England, who are the defending champions.
The red clay pitch at the Atala Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium Cricket Stadium is primed for the high-stakes match. Over 50,000 passionate fans, proudly adorned in Team India jerseys, will be rooting for skipper Rohit Sharma and his team, with a special focus on their beloved batter, Virat Kohli. Kohli, despite narrowly missing his 49th ODI century by just five runs in the previous match against New Zealand in Dharamsala, led the team to a thrilling four-wicket victory.
Teams to Touch Down After Dussehra
The enthusiasm among Lucknow’s cricket aficionados is palpable. Around 1,000 fans were spotted waiting outside the designated Team India hotel and the Ekana Stadium, eager to catch a glimpse of their cricketing heroes. However, the crowd dispersed after being informed that Team India was scheduled to arrive in the state capital on the day after Dussehra.
The schedule for Team India includes training sessions on October 26, 27, and 28, while the England team is expected to reach Lucknow on the afternoon of October 27, following their match against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru. The 22-yard pitch is expected to favour slow bowlers, particularly spinners like chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Adil Rashid, and Moeen Ali.
Ticket Turmoil
Many fans even inquired about purchasing match tickets at the Ekana Stadium’s ticket counters, but they were informed that manual tickets were not available. The online sale of tickets, which commenced at 8 p.m., experienced significant traffic on the booking portal, leading to frustration among fans unable to secure their seats. “I’ve been trying to purchase tickets online for the past 20 days, but the website kept saying ‘coming soon.’ Today, it said ‘all tickets sold,’” expressed a disappointed fan, Shantanu Mishra.
The October 29 showdown marks England’s debut in Lucknow, while Team India has played a few T20I games in the city in the past. This fixture will also be the penultimate match of the World Cup in Lucknow, with the city hosting the final match between Afghanistan and the Netherlands on November 3.
Local cricket enthusiast Pankaj Shukla expressed his anticipation for a thrilling encounter, hoping to witness Kohli achieving yet another milestone by scoring his 49th century against England. Shukla proudly mentioned that he secured tickets for the match as soon as they became available nearly a month ago, ensuring his and his friend’s attendance.
The India-England match promises to etch a new chapter in the history of Lucknow’s cricketing legacy, following the hosting of a Nehru Cup match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the KD Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium back in 1989-90.
