The last week of the ICC Cricket World Cup was very intense and crucial for everyone in India and in New Zealand too. The reasons being India playing against Australia in the semi-final in Sydney on Thursday on 26th March and the final at the MCG New Zealand fighting for the title of the world champions against Australia.
The enthusiasm of the fans in Auckland was undeniably elevated in both the cases, in one stance New Zealand wanted India to beat the snobbish Australian team in the semis and then Indian cricket fans wanted the Blackcaps to thrash Kangaroos in the finals. Sadly none of the two wishes of the fans were fulfilled and Australia became the 5th time World Champions.
The ‘Fan Zone’ at the Takutai Square in Auckland created by the ICC was flocked all through the world cup matches until the finals that too saw a huge crowd turnout. The Fan-Trail created on the streets of Auckland CBD lead to the fan zone that displayed a huge screen for the enthusiasts to see the match live under the open sky.
The Takutai Square looked more like a mini stadium with a Grandstand that could accommodate 250 spectators, face painting tents, World Cup Chronicle Shed that displayed stories and heritage photos of the players from the 1950s to the last world cup held in 2011, open green grounds with both natural and artificial grass carpets where people could put up their picnic chairs and couches to enjoy the match. The whole atmosphere glistened in the ecstasy of cricket with spectators going frenzy with every boundary, a six and on the fall of wickets.
The semi-final between Australia and India brought a crowd of more than 500 standing and sitting around the screen in the mini stadium, with raincoats and umbrellas rooting for India, chanting slogans like ‘India-India’, ‘Dhoni-Kohli’ etc. The constant pouring dark sky drove some people off the mini stadium to the Britomart station which also gathered a mass of some 100 Indian supporters, nervous yet confident supporting India in the match. The result at the end of the day was though disappointing, but people from the very then started cheering for New Zealand for the finals.
The D-day on Sunday managed to bring a crowd of more than 2000 women, children, and men on the streets opposite Britomart Station and in the Fan Zone. The final match was shown on two screens, one in the fan zone and another bigger screen behind the Grandstand adjacent on Galway street covered with artificial grass, cardboard seats by Auckland events and people from different ethnicities all cheering for the Blackcaps.
Not to mention the initial fall of wickets made the mob anxious and with every fall of wicket echoed ‘O’ in fan zone. One can imagine the loudness and reverberation of a hoot, a whistle and that of an ‘awwww’ when 2000 plus people chant it together. In the late afternoon just minutes after the ponchos were distributed the rain created a little chaos at the venue but still added beauty to the location when people covered in white semi-transparent ponchos braved the shower and kept exuberating for the Blackcaps. The day ended on a sad note for the Aucklanders yet they were proud of their team that had lifted the honour of cricket and sportsmanship.
Like it is said Australia may have won the world cup, but the Blackcaps won the hearts of cricketing fans.