Watching The Game – Live!

Last night I was watching TV. I was flipping through channels when I paused. The News was covering about today’s Test Match between India and Pakistan. It was going to be played at the Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi.
At night as I sat on the PC, several things raced my mind. Was I going to be able to see the match? How expensive are the tickets? How far away will we be seated? . My father walked into the room, cutting my thoughts, asking about shoes. Trekking shoes. Why would I need Trekking shoes? And then it hit me. We had planned to go for rafting/trekking this weekend. I numbly answered that I’ll look into it tomorrow. If opened up cricinfo.com and confirmed when the match was being played. Definitely tomorrow. Defiantly Feroz Shah Kotla. I googled for tickets for India Pakistan test match 2007. Tickets were 200, 400, 2000… I stopped reading. The only tickets I could afford were the 200 ones. For that I would probably get to stare at the stadium lights if I was lucky. Next problem, tickets were available at Bank of Baroda braches only. Damn! I thought to myself. A little more hunting revealed some more information. Tickets were also sold outside the stadium. So I need to get to the stadium and book tickets. Hmmm. If I could manage tickets for the final day, Monday, I could go for the trip that I had committed to and see the most exciting day of the match. But what if the match gets over in 4 days…I made a note before going to sleep and stuck it on my monitor. It read 737.

I set an alarm for 6:00 am and went off to sleep. The next morning (today) I woke up at 10:30 am having turned of the alarm at 6:00 am conveniently. I got dressed for my classes. While eating breakfast I switched on the TV to check the score. Pakistan was 3 wickets down for a meager score. I called to my mother as I left, telling her the score. “I hope you aren’t going there…” she replied. I hurriedly left the house.

At the Bus Stop I asked a fellow person the bus route to Ambedkar Stadium. He replied that I best take the 729 and tell the conductor where I wished to go. I thanked him and got on the next 729 that came by. It was empty.

I told the conductor ” I want to go to Ambedkar Stadium”
He replied ”To see the Match ?” I nodded my head excitedly.
“Get of where the bus empties. Dilli Gate. The tickets must be over son.”
“I..err..want Sunday’s ticket, not today’s” sheepishly I lied.

The fact was I myself didn’t know which tickets was I going to buy. All I wanted to do was get to the stadium.
I sat down to read a book I was carrying. Time flew by and the bus reached Dilli Gate. I looked up at the conductor and he nodded with approval. “Go straight- that’s the stadium” I sprinted across the road. The walls of stadium could be seen and the stadium lights. A sign on the Traffic Signal pointed to Gate 6, 7, 8. The area was surprisingly un-populated. I thought would have to struggle to even find my way around. I darted to ward the building marked “Bookings”. There was no one there. Through the small bird cage like window I called out to the unknown. No one answered. From inside the stadium I heard a roar of cheering. My heart leaped. This was it. This was the Game! I sprinted around the corner hoping to find people still entering. I asked some passerby who said something about a Gate 12 up ahead. I saw people and a police barricade up ahead. There was a counter where there was a lot of activity. Making my way through the crowd I kept asking the ticket fare. Everyone else seemed confused except a certain people who were selling the ticket in. 200 Rs. for one ticket admitting one. My eyes lit up.

Standing in the middle of the crowd I observed people around me. A lot of them were walking around like chicken with no heads. I thought of inquiring at the counter but considering the hurry some people were in to buy tickets, I decide that it was a bad Idea. Heck! I thought. 200 bucks for the game is fine ! I rushed to find an ATM ( I had no money in my purse! ). Up ahead was a Pertrol Pump. I rushed across jumping a police rope, dodging a SUV. Axis Bank ATM it read. I took out my ICICI card and walked in and jammed the card in the machine. It accepted. Seconds later, I walked out with 200 Rs in hand. As I reached the crowd I heard a group of people talking. 400 Rs for 5 days at the counter! Oh my god! That’s 600 Rs less if some one was to buy each days ticket individually. 600 Rs. 60%. I rushed back to the ATM. This time the card bent a little while showing it in. Walking out again, seconds later, I had 400 Rs. in hand. I pushed my self into the unorthodox queue at the counter. The counter was just a feet above the ground. So I squatted and wormed my way through.
“What the price for the 5-day ticket?” I rasped.
“400. period”
I thrust my hand forward and grabbed the 5 freshly printed out tickets. It had Indian Vs Pakistan embezzled in gold. Under it was written – Season Tickets. I loved that phrase. As I walked over to the queue the policeman objected to my fat bag I was carrying.
“It only has a book” I wailed. The non-interested policeman was telling another gentleman to get rid f the pen he was carrying. I got the message. Hunting to a place to stash my good-for-nothing bag I came up to another Police Barricade/Bunker. There was a Policeman with stars on his shoulder sitting. I pleaded him to let me dump my bag behind the barricade. He gave me a hard stare and asked me if I was in a college. I frantically said yes. “You kids…” he mumbled. Taking that as I yes, I dumped my bag behind the barricade, and shot off towards the entry line. Security check was not a formality I realized. He checked my mobile and searched my thoroughly. Once I was done, I sprinted past some of the others in front of me. As I climbed up the stairs I could hear the roar getting louder. Two more steps! I thought. Two steps later I was standing in the stand at long off 20 meters away from the action…

ps : I have four more tickets …