Knights’ victory. A new hero. SRK in the house.
Poila Baishakh could not have been better for the Eden crowd.
The Celsius soared to 38 degrees, two notches above normal, on Sunday. But undeterred by the scorching weather, people flocked to Eden well before the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants started at 3.30pm.
Kishor Modhwadia and wife Bhavna, residents of London and holidaying in India, seemed to soak in the festive spirit as they headed towards the Club House around 3pm.
“We are here for good cricket. We have seen matches in Hyderabad and Mumbai. Eden is an iconic stadium and we want to make the most of the experience. Back home, we have seen matches at the Lords and the Oval. But nothing matches the atmosphere in Indian stadiums. It is like a carnival everywhere,” said Bhavna, who works for the UK government.
On Sunday, she had KKR written on one cheek and LSG on another because she was “impartial” and wanted the best team to win.
Her wish was granted. “KKR were the deserving winners. They were always ahead of LSG. The way the stadium rooted for the home team was something to see,” she said after the match.
Kishor, who runs a vehicle emission testing unit in London, did not have a favourite team as such. “I support my wife and root for whichever team she is backing,” he said.
For the Bhandaris of Salt Lake, Sunday was a family outing at the Eden Gardens.
Sourav and Vijaylaxmi came with their daughters Swara, 12, and Sanvi, 13. All four are “loyal” KKR fans.
“My daughters have come to Eden for the first time. They are kicked to see their favourite team up close,” said Sourav.
Swara and Sanvi were both Andre Russell fans but were “blown away” by Phil Salt’s power hitting. The English keeper-batsman scored an unbeaten 89 off just 47 balls after taking a splendid catch to get rid of the dangerous Marcus Stoinis. No wonder the crowd chanted his name after the match.
Shah Rukh Khan, who came with son Abram, daughter Suhana and her bestie, Ananya Panday, stood up to applaud every time Salt hit a boundary.
The visiting team came out in the green and maroon jersey synonymous with the Mohun Bagan Super Giant. Both teams have the same owner — Sanjiv Goenka, chairman of the RP-SG Group.
Many people flocked to the ground in the green and maroon jersey.
Kamal Agarwal, son Samyak and friend Anirban Taraftar were among them.
“I support LSG because it is a good team. Before LSG came into the IPL, I would root for Mumbai Indians,” said Agarwal, who lives on Middleton Street.
He was gracious in defeat. “They were completely outplayed by KKR. But being at Eden is always a great experience,” Agarwal said after the match.
For Soumava Basu, 18, a fast bowler for his local club in Rishra, the high point of the match was the spell of Mitchell Starc, the Aussie speedster and KKR’s costliest buy.
Starc took three wickets, including that of the explosive Nicholas Pooran. “The final wicket, where he shattered the stumps (of Arshad Khan), was a treat for the eyes,” he said.
Ravi Kumar, a railway employee, came with his wife Shweta, son Adamya and daughter Vedika.
“My children, who came to Eden for the first time, had an unforgettable evening,” he said.