Cricket fans from Kolkata fly to US to pack the stands for India's T20 clash against Pakistan
Times of India | 8 June 2024
KOLKATA: When India meets arch-rival Pakistan in the ICC T20 match in New York on Sunday, there will be several from Kolkata cheering for the Men In Blue from the stands of the Nassau Country Ground. Die-hard cricket fans, they have managed to reach the US for the high-octane clash despite visa hurdles and match ticket prices shooting past Rs 4 crore for a VIP seat.
Inquiries are pouring in at the offices of travel agents, who believe many more could be travelling from the city and eastern India to the US and Caribbean Islands expecting Rohit Sharma's team to sail through to the Super 8 stage. The agents, however, maintain that only those who already have visas will be able to make the journey since the waiting period for a US visa is currently several months long.
"Two of my Kolkata clients left for New York on June 2 for the India-Pakistan match and may stay back for the Caribbean leg of the tournament as well," said Manav Soni of Travel Agents Association of India. He added that many more with US visas were eager to travel to West Indies for the Super 8 matches but availability of tickets and exorbitant prices were proving to be constraints.
The lowest price for Sunday's India-Pakistan match ticket is Rs 67,000 and goes up to Rs 4.4 crore for a place on the VIP stand on website Viagogo. So far, the cheapest India match tickets on the site are those for the USA tie on June 12 and ranges between Rs 14,463 and Rs 60,271.
Mahesh Punjabi from Kolkata, who travels around the world with a band of 12 friends to watch India play, said: "In case I manage to get tickets, I will definitely be there for at least for one India match."
Fans from India apart, hundreds of desis settled in US are either travelling to the stadium or gathering at homes of friends or restaurants and other venues to watch India play on giant screens.
'Cricket is becoming popular in the US, bringing communities together'
Scientist Nabarun Chakraborty, who has been in the US for 25 years, will be at the ground to watch the India-Pakistan match on Sunday with 12 school mates who have travelled across the world for a reunion. "It should be a very exciting reunion," he said.
Partha Sarathi, a data analyst from Kolkata now settled in the US, said: "I'm travelling from my home in Houston to New York to watch the Indo-Pak match on a big screen at the Mets stadium there. My son who was born and brought up in the US is also a cricket enthusiast and travelled to New York with his friends for the India-Ireland match," said Partha Sarathi, a data analyst from Kolkata now settled in the US. He added that he missed watching India play from the stands.
Techie Dibyendu Kundu, who has been settled in Connecticut for 24 years, would be watching the match with his neighbours on a big screen. "Excitement is high among Indians and many are travelling to New York, though I won't. But it would be great to share the excitement since US is hosting the cup and our boys are playing here," said Kundu who is from Lake Town in Kolkata.
Pallavi Guha, a journalism professor and an author settled in Maryland, US, said, "I'll be gathering with friends this weekend for the India-Pakistan match. My husband, a cricket fan, has bought a cricket package to watch the matches on TV. Several Indian restaurants are offering brunch for those watching the match live, embracing a new business culture. Cricket is becoming more popular in the US, bringing communities together. Previously, cricket was less accessible here, and people had to travel to watch live matches. Now, it's great to see the American community showing interest in cricket, not just American football or soccer." said Guha.