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Eden Gardens
"Delhi mein dil tooth sakta hai par humne kabhi hausla nahi haraa (You can get hurt in Delhi but I never lost hope)." These were an emotional Harshit Rana's first words after learning about his maiden call-up in the Indian ODI team comprising icons Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The 22-year-old speedster from Delhi's South Extension, who did the tough grind since the junior levels, often got overlooked, but one stellar IPL season of 19 wickets in Kolkata Knight Riders' triumphant campaign brought him into the national reckoning. "I believed in working hard but whenever I used to get hurt after being overlooked in age-group teams, I would sit in my room and start sobbing. My father Pradeep never ever gave up hope. "If I have to name three people whom I am indebted to in this beautiful journey of mine, then it is my father for his efforts, my personal coach Amit Bhandari sir (former India and Delhi pacer) and above everyone else Gauti bhaiyya (Gautam Gambhir)," Rana told PTI during an
South Africa's power-packed batting unit suffered a light-out against Australia, but they found enough support from the packed Eden Gardens crowd during the second semifinal of the World Cup here Thursday. So, why did the Kolkatans cheer for the Proteas? It was quite simple as they preferred an India vs South Africa title clash on Sunday at Ahmedabad. Everyone knows what Aussies are capable of in a World Cup final. We dread to see an India-Australia final, so want them to lose today, said Rashmi Bhattacharya, a software professional who had come with his 14-year-old son, sporting a Quinton De Kock jersey. She represented the thousands of Indian spectators at the Eden, who cheered 'South Africaa, South Africaa", hoping that the five-time champions go out of India's way. It was safe to assume that green outnumbered yellow among the fans, whose number touched 47,825 on this day. As South Africa endured a top-order meltdown to be 24 for four, the stunned crowd fell into silence before
The entire Mohun Bagan cricket team was on celebratory mode having just won the P. Sen Trophy at the Eden Gardens back in 2009, barring one individual. From a distance, the architect of that crown was quietly sitting on a famous white coloured cane-chair, forever planted outside the Eden dressing room. He looked at the celebrations with utmost nonchalance. Virat Kohli was all of 20, already an U-19 World Cup captain, touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket but a solitary half-century in five ODIs wasn't a reflection of what one was going to witness over the next decade. As Kohli steps onto field on his 35th birthday, against South Africa in-front of of a packed crowd on the same hallowed turf, there would be an over-riding feeling among the handful who had watched the genius in the making 14 summers ago. In extreme heat and humidity, Kohli scored 184 off just 121 balls in that final match against Town Club. It was not even a decent club attack but in those challenging ...
A group of supporters purportedly waved Palestine flag and launched a 'Free Palestine' campaign on the sidelines of the Pakistan vs Bangladesh World Cup match at Eden Gardens here on Tuesday. In a video and photograph that went viral on social media, three people were seen flashing the Palestine flag by climbing on a dais. There has been no official word from the ICC, but according to reports the local authorities have detained four persons in connection with the incident. It's not clear whether the supporters were from Bangladesh or India. Thousands of Bangladeshi fans had travelled to the city to watch the match. The nationalities of the detained persons are not known. The match witnessed an official attendance of 27,940 in the 67,000-capacity Eden Gardens. Bangladesh endured a second straight defeat at Eden Gardens to be knocked out of the World Cup. Opting to bat, Bangladesh were bundled out for 204 in 45.1 before Pakistan cruised to a seven-wicket win. The incident has come
The Cricket Association of Bengal on Saturday requested ICC recce team about concerns raised by local security agencies with regards to World Cup match between Pakistan and England on November 12 coinciding with Kali Puja. If BCCI and ICC have to accommodate another date change, then Pakistn will have a third change in schedule. This is after rescheduling of India vs Pakistan game (October 14 instead of 15 in Ahmedabad) and Sri Lanka vs Pakistan game (now on October 10 in Hyderabad instead of October 12). The Ahmedabad Police had told the BCCI that it would find it difficult to take care of security on October 15 which happens to be the first day of the Hindu festival of Navaratri. The ICC and BCCI had released the schedule at a grand ceremony on June 27 but now the revised schedule is yet to be published as it has completely gone haywire. Kali Puja is a second biggest festival in West Bengal, and thousands of local clubs organise festivities with a large police deployment require