The big day is here! After more than a month of back-to-back action, the cream has finally risen to the top. As the Men in Blue take on the Aussies in Ahmedabad for the World Cup final, cricket fever is at high pitch. Indian cricket fans the world over, as well as in Australia, will be rooting for Team India with all their heart and josh. My Kolkata spoke to some probashis in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to capture the mood.
Arka Basu, 28, is a second-generation immigrant with roots in Kolkata’s Ballygunge. The workplace health and safety adviser currently based in Brisbane will be watching the India-Australia final at home. “It’s a Sunday night and the match will carry on till early on Monday, so no party plans. We will be watching the match as a family and rooting for India,” Basu said. His message for the Men in Blue: “One more game and the World Cup is yours. Don't hold back!”
Amit Kumar Basu, 59, Arka’s father, is also based in Brisbane and has memories of the 1983 World Cup. “Those days (in 1983), we had a colour TV in Kolkata. All my friends and even their parents would come to our place, and we all watched the electrifying World Cup final together, which we will never forget.... what a game it was! Recently, I watched the movie 83 with my family and relived those moments! Looking forward to the match tonight! Go India!” said the 59-year-old senior project management advisor.
Surya Bhattacharya, 38, took an afternoon nap and has cancelled morning meetings on Monday just so that he can stay up and watch the match, which will be an all-nighter in Australia. “The Indian community is extremely excited here in Melbourne. Everyone is staying cautious. The game can swing either way. The toss and the first 10 overs will be critical. In 2003, India gave the match away in the early overs. I hope history doesn’t repeat itself,” said the Don Bosco, Park Circus, alumnus who grew up in the Lake Market area. “Many Indians here are hosting home gatherings to witness the fight between janmabhoomi and matrubhoomi, but I will be watching it at home on Fox Sports with Indian delicacies and some Australian beer,” said Bhattacharya, who has cooked a dinner of paratha and chicken. For munchies, he has his prized packet of Mukharochok chanachur ready. The head of Data & Analytics at ANZ Banking Group Ltd, is hoping to enjoy some “Shami kebab” on the side!
Samik Banerjee, 47, is all set for the match. “We have to win,” said the St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, old boy. He, too, plans to watch the match at home as it starts around 7pm Australia time and is likely to carry on till 4 on 5 on Monday morning. “I will be watching the match with family as that is exactly with whom I saw it in 2011. I was in India at that time. Slightly superstitious! My daughter was just two years old then and crying at all the chaos. She is her teens now and a big cricket fan,” said the IT consultant with roots in Kalyani, West Bengal, who moved to Sydney in 2014.
Myra Banerjee, 14, can’t wait to watch the match in her Team India jersey. “It is a rather enjoyable experience watching and rooting for Team India. Watching cricket with family has become one of my most precious ways to create memories and I look forward to each India match!” said the Bumrah and Shami fan.
Dev Kumar Halder, 40, is headed for Optus Stadium with his wife Maithili for a COLDPLAY concert — the first in Perth in 14 years — but remained glued to his mobile screen as they took the public transport to the venue and even after getting there. As the stadium explodes with lasers and fireworks for the exclusive show that’s part of the popular British rock band’s Music of the Spheres World the probashi entrepreneur will be hoping for fireworks of a different kind.