Eden Gardens Abuzz with Color and Cricket Fever on Holi Evening
On a vibrant Holi evening, the stands at Kolkata's iconic Eden Gardens transformed into a sea of colors as fans gathered for the first T20 World Cup semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand. Despite the thrilling match at hand, many attendees confessed that their hearts and minds were fixated on Mumbai, where India is set to face England in the second semi-final on Thursday.
Mixed Sentiments Among Enthusiastic Supporters
Sayan Bhadra, 28, and Subhosree Das, 27, from south Kolkata arrived early, brimming with excitement. "We are very excited for today's match," said Sayan. "I want New Zealand to win. We are expecting an India vs. New Zealand final; that will be amazing." Subhosree nodded in agreement, already planning for what they hope will be a trans-Tasman final.
Not everyone shared that sentiment. Soumyadeep Das, 24, who works in Mumbai but is in the city for the match, said he was backing South Africa. His friend Sainik Khaddar, 23, from north Kolkata added that he was at the Eden Gardens just for the fun of cricket but was more excited about the second semi-final. "Tomorrow's match is going to be huge," Soumyadeep said, his face painted in the Indian tricolour and flaunting a brand-new India jersey.
Family Outings and Personal Preferences
For Debashish Ghosh, who travelled from Midnapore with his parents, the evening was special. "This is my as well as my parents' first time at the Eden Gardens," he said. A New Zealand supporter for the day, he hopes to see India face the Kiwis in the final. Tathagata Choudhury from Jadavpur, however, wanted the Proteas to sail through. "I want South Africa to win today. They beat us in the Super 8. I want India to reach the final and take sweet revenge there," he said.
From Sinthi More, Subhayu Mukherjee, attending his second match at the Eden, was firmly in the New Zealand camp. "I'm a big fan of Kane Williamson. Today, New Zealand, but tomorrow, obviously India," he laughed.
Strategic and Lighthearted Perspectives
Friends Diptojit Ghosh and Sudipto Patra from Amtala in South 24 Parganas were equally animated. Diptojit backed New Zealand, joking, "If they win, there is a possibility India can still win the final. But the kind of form South Africa is in, it will be difficult to beat them in the final, especially in Ahmedabad, where India lost all major matches." Sudipto was in the stands with his father, making it a family outing.
Saoni Banerjee from Behala and social media influencer Sirin Hazari from Park Street admitted that the only reason they were rooting for New Zealand was because "the players are good-looking."
Eden Gardens Bids Farewell to T20 World Cup
As the T20 World Cup bid farewell to the Eden Gardens—its seventh and final match here before IPL fixtures begin later this month—the iconic venue once again proved why cricket in Kolkata was never just about one game. "This city loves cricket, no matter if India plays here or not. I also attended the matches between Scotland and England and West Indies and Italy at this very ground and had immense fun," said Biplab Saha, a resident of Jadavpur, who was at the B Block stands with a group of friends.
The atmosphere was electric, blending Holi festivities with cricket passion, showcasing Kolkata's unwavering dedication to the sport. Fans left with memories of a colorful evening, eagerly awaiting India's crucial match in Mumbai.
