The Hindu : Front Page : Sporting Hyderabadis lap up every moment

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 17, 2005

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Front Page

Sporting Hyderabadis lap up every moment

Staff Reporter

Giant electronic screen at the venue lifts the mood of spectators

MAHARAJAS IN THE CROWD: Indian supporters waving the tricolour during the India-South Africa One-Day International match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Wednesday. — Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: There was a deafening silence in the stands in the early stages of the match. The reason was obvious. The top-order of the famed Indian batting line up including Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and Mohd. Kaif, were back in the pavilion with very few runs on the board. Hyderabadis for sure did not relish the sight of the South African pace trio of — Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock and Andre Nel — making a mockery of the batting.

But even amidst the almost palpable dejection, the presence of the giant electronic screen at a vantage point lifted the mood of the crowds. For the first time, Hyderabadis had the privilege of not missing any of the action on the field — be it the way Indian captain Rahul Dravid was bowled or the six by Yuvraj Singh over fine-leg or umpire Hariharan's delayed verdict declaring Sachin Tendulkar caught behind.

Colourful crowd

Many spectators were determined to enjoy themselves. The Indian tri colour was waved at every opportunity and amidst all the colourful attire in the stands; it was evident that some had really used their creativity. Two `Maharajas' were spotted in the crowd, who were doing their bit to cheer the team. And each time the cameras zoomed onto the fans, a wave of applause erupted. The `Mexican Wave' too was seen with regularity when Irfan Pathan and Yuvraj Singh were in the middle. The venue wore a truly impressive look and one could imagine how much grander it will look when it is fully completed to accommodate the capacity of 55,000 spectators.

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