Being part of the sea of blue that flooded the Oz streets

Vineet Gulati

I remember the 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand as the edition that brought colour into the event. The World Cup saw many firsts that year — matches played under floodlights, the use of the white ball, coloured jerseys, stump speakers, digital scoreboards, and the Duckworth–Lewis method. I was completely fascinated by the 1992 edition. It had made me feel that if I ever took a sports tour, it would be the cricket World Cup Down Under.

So I decided to follow the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

I reached Adelaide on 13th February to watch India vs Pakistan. I arrived a day earlier so I had a chance to be part of the famous Adelaide Fringe Parade, the theme of which was the colour red. But on 14th February there was hardly any red visible. The streets were filled with blue and green. Indian and Pakistani fans from all around the world took over the city streets, waving their national flags. Even Australians joined the party. Outside the Adelaide Oval, the Swamy Army of about 50 fans played dhols and danced, while shouting out “Desi Desi Desi Oi Oi Oi”, which was our version of the Australian war cry “Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi”. Anyone present there could feel the energy of what was coming the following day.

On 15th Feb, the day of the big match, I boarded a local train to reach the venue. At every station, dozens of fans dressed in blue and green boarded the train. The Australians in the train were not only outnumbered but also amazed. When I entered the Adelaide Oval, my first thought was: Am I still in Australia? The crowd was no different than India-Pak semifinal of Mohali, 2011.

There were supporter zones created for India and Pakistan fans, so one could see the blue and green divide in the stands; although the support for India was much greater. The Pakistan supporter zone to our left had very little to cheer about as Pakistan succumbed without much fight. The result became obvious in 25th over of the Pakistan innings. Pakistani fans started leaving the stands after the 30th over.

The fascinating MCG

India’s next face-off was against South Africa on 22nd Feb and it was in one of the greatest cricket grounds ever, the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Australian tourism promotes a visit to MCG as one of the top things to do in Melbourne. So I decided to take the MCG tour on 19th Feb. The sports museum inside the members stand is a treat to every cricket fan. The guided tour took me to the players’ changing room, the library, the members’ area and finally for a walk in the arena. I was fascinated with the portable pitches technology wherein the entire pitch is constructed outside the stadium and dropped in later.

While the Adelaide Oval saw an attendance of 48000, the MCG on 22nd February saw 98000. It was an extraordinary sight. The colossal ground was packed to capacity.

I again bought tickets in India’s supporter zone but had to change it to join a group of friends who managed to get tickets in the SA supporter zone. I met group of about 20 Indian supporters who drove down from Brisbane to watch the match. They said they would have loved to see the India-Pak match but couldn’t get tickets.

Next up was India vs UAE on 28th Feb but I chose to watch Australia take on the Kiwis at Auckland on the same day for their intense rivalry. I landed in Auckland on 26th and the first thing which struck me was that New Zealand was the most beautiful place on the planet. Australian tourism is much exaggerated but New Zealand does not need any promotion. It’s stunning landscapes are incredible and the weather complements the scenic beauty.

Like the India-Pak game, this match was sold out months in advance. I was told that the Eden Park has seen many Australia-New Zealand matches, not only cricket but also rugby and football. Every match is a complete sell-out. We were given free train ride to the venue by showing our match tickets. The match was an absolute thriller and support was electric as supported of both the teams jeered at each other. One banner, which read ‘Rendezvous 92’, reminded the Aussies about their defeat at the Kiwi hands in the 1992 edition.

The writer is a Chandigarh-based banker and a passionate cricket fan.