A spectacle, a feeling, and an emotion that surpasses the grandest of events. Some denote it as a religion, while for others it stands for a carnival. The city ceases today to grab a glimpse of what Ahmedabad has to offer, which is an India versus Pakistan World Cup match.

The heavens have come forth to the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, where nearly 1,30,000 spectators shall rejoice in the rivalry, one of the greatest of the sport, if not the greatest.

A blue tsunami at the ground

All roads lead to one destination today for cricket enthusiasts, as the gates of the stadium were opened at 10 a.m. as scheduled. However, a sea of Indian fans was seen flocking at the gates, much earlier than the scheduled timings.

Indian supporters were in inconceivable numbers, expressing their support for their team with chants, placards, bugles, and enthusiasm in abundance.

People had arrived at the stadium specifically for the match from various parts of India. Talking to Gujarat Samachar, Rakesh, a spectator attending the match, says, “I have travelled here from Bihar. It took me two to three days to get here. I am here to watch (Virat) Kohli bat against Pakistan.”

Another group of fans from Pune said, “We bought our tickets as soon as they were available and have travelled here specifically for the match. Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Rohit Sharma are our favourites, and we hope they will score great runs against Pakistan.”

The scenario was of an uncontested Indian fan following, but among the sea of blue emerged the sole visible support for the Pakistani side - the popular fan figure ‘Chicago Chacha’.

He expressed his equally divided support for both teams today, stating, “My heart belongs to Pakistan, but my wife is an Indian, so I also have to show my support for India. But I am here to enjoy the cricket match at this stadium. I don’t know who will win the World Cup, but I think India and Pakistan are going to be the finalists.” Before the matchday, he was not able to get a ticket for himself but today he managed to get a ticket and entered the venue. 

A former cricketer, who is at the match today, Jigna Gajjar mentions, “I have never seen such a crowd at a stadium. The atmosphere is at its peak, every ball is being cheered by the crowd. It is great to be here witnessing this.”

Robust security

The Ahmedabad police pulled the largest cricket match security fleet till date with a total of 14,000 security staff, including 7,000 police staff, 4,000 home guards, quick reaction teams (QRT), bomb disposal squad (BDS), crime branch, anti-terrorist squad (ATS), and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), along with a deputy commissioner of police, an assistant commissioner of police, and a police inspector of the Ahmedabad police department.

Moreover, three teams of NSG, two teams of Chetak Commando, five teams of QRT, 13 teams of BDS, and an additional staff of 2,000 personnel were deployed today.

Business as usual

Small businesses made the most of the opportunity by shifting their ‘original’ businesses into the more profitable ones. Local shops that were till yesterday working as hair salons, tailor shops had today turned into refreshment/snack parlours. 

Not only shopkeepers but even residents near the stadium road were selling water and refreshments to make a quick buck. 

Roadside merchandise and vendors picked up on sales as well outside the stadium.

Public transport in high demand

To provide seamless transport facility for a crowd of 1,30,000,the Ahmedabad Metro service, which has a station operating on the Motera stadium line, observed the metro trains filled to their capacity when arriving at the station.

The spectators were in a horde to buy their return tickets as well. Metro services are extended until 1 a.m. on match days by the authorities.

The BRTS-AMTS buses, operating on the Motera route, were also boarded in huge numbers.

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