Cricket lovers erupted with joy as India beat South Africa by seven runs to lift the T20 World Cup Trophy on Saturday night.
From victory processions to firecrackers, Calcuttans left no stone unturned to make the night a memorable one.
South City Mall had set up a giant screen at their atrium where the match was screened live from Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The mall’s gates were kept open till the match ended. Inside, it resembled a mini-cricket stadium as the crowd cheered on.
Every time, Virat Kohli sent the ball soaring to the boundary lines — he added 76 runs to India’s score of 176 — the crowd would start to dance.
Deep Biswas, the general manager of South City Mall, said they had a crowd of at least 100 cheering for the team.
“The mood here was electric,” Biswas said.
Across the city, lounges and bars screened the match and patrons raised a toast amid cheers as India clinched the victory.
All the tables had been booked at the Lord Of The Drinks and Warehouse as the match began.
Amit Bajoria, the director and co-founder of the company that owns the city franchisee of the Lord Of The Drinks and Warehouse, said the pubs ran to their capacity till the match ended.
“We were streaming the match live and both the places were electric. Many had turned up in the Indian jersey,” Bajoria said.
The match was a roller-coaster ride. As Heinrich Klaasen started taking the Indian bowlers apart, cries of exasperation rang out loud.
“Bumrah turned the game on its head. Credit must also be given to Hardik Pandya for keeping his calm and Suryakumar Yadav for that blinder of a catch,” said Kunal Sengupta, who watched the match with his friends at his New Alipore home.
The festivities also spilled out on the streets and many went for a joyride waving flags.
Mohammed Sohail, a resident of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, was out on the road with his friends and family after the match.
“The scenes were electrifying as the entire Park Street to Eden Gardens had fans cheering,” said Sohail.