CRICKET-CRAZY INDIA
Cricket fans celebrate team India’s victory in the ICC World Cup Pool B match against Pakistan, in Amritsar, Feb. 15. (Press Trust of India)
From living rooms to the country’s frontiers, celebrations erupted across the nation as India trounced archrival Pakistan in the cricket World Cup. A Press Trust of India report.
Cricket fans distributed sweets and burst firecrackers, while many came out on roads and danced to the beating of drums as soon as Mohit Sharma took the last wicket of Sohail Khan to seal Pakistan’s fate in Adelaide.
The jawans of the Border Security Force (BSF) deployed along the International Border in Jammu also celebrated the victory of team India by distributing sweets among themselves.
A senior BSF officer said, “There is huge euphoria among the BSF jawans deployed along the international border. Right now the celebrations are going on.”
He said while celebrations would be on, there would be no let up in the vigil along the border.
In the city too, ecstatic fans filled the streets and burst firecrackers.
“For Indians, especially the resident of Jammu and Kashmir, which shares its border with Pakistan, any game between India and Pakistan is seen as the final of the World Cup and today we have once again won the game,” Jaipreet Singh, a resident of Gandhi Nagar locality in Jammu said.
Greetings poured in for the men in blue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and leaders of various political parties as well as Bollywood personalities.
“We are very proud of you,” Modi says in his message.
“It’s a magnificent victory, ” Banerjee said in her Facebook post.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who today made his live cricket commentary, tweeted, “Well played INDIA… Entire team showed resolve, talent and determination..!! May you continue such onwards.. JAI HIND!!”
Melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, who is an avid cricket fan, said, “I congratulate Indian cricket team from my heart for their win.”
At cricketer Mohit Sharma’s house in Faridabad, his parents Mahipal Sharma and mother Sunita Sharma could not stop gushing at their son’s performance.
“We were wishing for the country’s victory and are happy and satisfied with Mohit’s performance,” Mahipal Sharma said.
Mohit took two wickets in the match.
Big B “Honored” to Turn Commentator for Indo-Pak WC Match
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan says making his cricket commentary debut alongside legends like Kapil Dev and Rahul Dravid, Feb. 15, was an honor for him.
The 72-year-old evergreen star, who did commentary in Hindi during the World Cup match between India and Pakistan, also shared space with the likes of Arun Lal and Shoaib Akhtar.
Bachchan took to Twitter to express his joy on his new role.
“Commentary for the India Pak match over, an honor to be in the room as legends – Kapil, Rahul, Shoaib… Predicted 300… Got it!” he tweeted.
India, who put 300 runs on the board after batting first, beat their arch-rivals by 76 runs in their first WC match in Adelaide, Australia.
“Yeeaahhhhh! India wins… my second prediction came true too .. is it got something to do with the date 15th Feb!!” he wrote, adding that on this date 46 years ago he signed his first Bollywood film.
“15th Feb…!! Historic date for me… On this date 46 years ago in 1969, I signed my 1st film to join the Film Industry…,” he tweeted.
Bachchan’s impressive debut as a cricket commentator earned him plaudits from several Bollywood stars.
Sidharth Malhotra tweeted, “Commentary never sound so impactful @SrBachchan live on #IndvsPak superb (sic).”
“Amitabh Bachchan on star sports live – what else do you want – #IndVsPak @SrBachchan,” actor Riteish Deshmukh posted.
Praising Bachchan’s commentary, Alia Bhatt said, “Okay even I am up for the match… So you can’t take the Indian out of an #IndvsPak match after all!! Oh and you gotta love @SrBachchan.”
“What a great morning seeing the India Pakistan match and hearing @SrBachchan commentate,” Shahid Kapoor tweeted.
The 2015 Cricket World Cup is jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from February 14 to March 29. India are defending champions, having won the tournament in 2011.
