Mumbaikars upset with shift

For a nation that eats, drinks and lives cricket, the decision to hold the IPL overseas has not gone down well. It doesn’t matter if the games are telecast on TV, Mumbaikars are upset at the thought of missing out on live action.

DNA spoke to a cross section of the city and it emerged that most people were hoping for a compromise formula to keep the signature Twenty20 League within Indian shores. Rohit Balla from South Mumbai said he was pretty upset. “I am very upset that it is going out of India. But I don’t think there was any option left.”

Vaishali Khade of Mira Road was looking forward to this year’s edition. “I was so keen to watch Sachin (Tendulkar) play at Brabourne Stadium after a long time. But unfortunately it won’t happen,” she rued.

For Mudassar Sayed of Bandra, it wasn’t a big set back. “I hardly get the time to go to the stadium… I see the matches on TV anyway,” he said. But Ghatkopar resident Gayathri Madhavan is disappointed. “I was so looking forward to watching MS Dhoni’s side in action. I am very unhappy!”

Neeraj Anand from Malad was more realistic. “If the Indian Premier League won’t be played in India then why call it IPL? It doesn’t make sense! They could have postponed it or canceled it this year.” Dr
Ajay Pandey, a Santa Cruz resident, too felt it should have stayed in India. “It should have been held here because a common man wants to see his hero from up close and this is his best chance.”

Jogeshwari’s Rahil Hurzuk, an IPL enthusiast, said: “I was so looking forward to seeing the matches here. It was the best entertainment for us.” It was a big letdown for Rachel who resides in Lower Parel. “It is terrible… I so wanted to see the flamboyant Shane Warne but my hopes have crashed like a pack of cards,” she said.

Tumpa Chatterjee Guha of Mira Road said: “IPL could have given the sports lovers some joy particularly in the wake of the recent terror attacks. Now the mandarins of the state must be relieved!”
However, Vashi’s Faizaan Jawed said he just didn’t care.