World T20 Diary: Mr Exclusive & Kolkata tragedy mourned

Barnaby Read 08:00 03/04/2016
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  • DAY 25 – SATURDAY, APRIL 2 – MR. EXCLUSIVE

    Journalists covering the World T20 tournament were last night treated to a night of free food, hops and grape at the local Calcutta Sports Journalists’ Club, a stone’s throw away from the Eden Gardens stadium that will host the final.

    The formalities got underway with some introductions by the club and a local Indian journalist who was cosily perched on the “top table” alongside good friends Ian Bishop and Dave Richardson.

    Introducing the ICC chief executive, the host said he would refrain from “using the c-word” – an advisable approach.

    “Bish” and Richardson took to the stage to talk about their respective experiences of international cricket, a piece that failed to exude much excitement from the invited press more keen on tucking into some grub and drinks.

    The biggest takeaway from their segment would probably be Bishop’s animated response to any idea that he would stay in bed past 9pm – thrilling fare indeed.

    In among it all was the newly famous Sam Ferris of cricket.com.au who was asked for photographs with local journalists and made jaws drop on waiters’ faces when they realised it was ‘the guy called on stage by Dhoni’.

    But quite simply the highlight from the entire evening was Mr. Exclusive.

    He was given the moniker by the host who introduced him as if it were Oscar Wilde.

    Given the platform to speak in front of ICC delegates, with a room of the world’s media listening in, you can imagine the kind of topics up for discussion.

    Associates being pushed into the background, match fixing, and the ticketing fiasco at this tournament were all worthy subjects.

    However, after explaining how he had not been following the women’s tournament so couldn’t possibly comment on the final, he dropped a bombshell of epic proportions.

    The greatest ire for Mr. Exclusive in covering the tournament? Quite simply it was a lack of car parking passes, leading him to need to pull strings within the various associations to gain.

    Groundbreaking.

    DAY 24 – FRIDAY, APRIL 1 – A COUNTRY MOURNS

    India crashed out of the World T20 at the semi-final stage last night and in defeat a country was left heartbroken.

    But following the flyover tragedy in Kolkata, the fixture paled in comparison to the hurt and anger felt by people here.

    It has hit people here in Kolkata hard and despite the release of a sporting fixture, there are far bigger items on the agenda for a city coming to terms with such loss.

    On the pitch, all the brilliance of Virat Kohli could not deny the West Indies’ charge.

    Another flawless innings was followed by the unleashing of his golden arm as Kohli resembled the kid who turned up with bat and ball, threatening to go home unless he got the lion’s share of the action.

    It was a hugely disappointing end to the tournament, especially considering how India had positioned themselves on pole until the late hitting of Lendl Simmons and Andre Russell.

    As you swooped through the streets of Kolkata mid-match, the anticipation was palpable, a genuine source of distraction from the horrific events elsewhere.

    Samsung TV shops had a particularly popular brand of TV judging from the “window shoppers” looking in, while other huddled round radios and any TV they could set their eyes on in hope of watching India surge into the final.

    As it is there was a considerable lack of talk from taxi drivers and shop owners just hours after that loss, many seemingly turning their back on the competition.

    Seeing the cricket slip to the back of people’s minds will be a good thing for Kolkata, a city that now needs to set about understanding the reasons behind Thursday’s tragic events.

    DAY – TUESDAY, MARCH 29 – DELHI’S DAREDEVILS

    There are many rules by which people live their lives – be it religion, philosophy or something a bit more simplistic in just being habitual.

    But few are as gloriously laid out as the signage at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, which aims to put people off stampeding like elephants at grounds, its intentions of the very best nature.

    However, something has clearly been lost in translation.

    Either that or it is simply a very confusing approach to warding potential troublemakers off causing danger for cricket lovers taking in the sport in Delhi.

    Kicking things off is “PLEASE AVOID MOBILE” which can be read as a warning for toddlers to keep away from their dangling cot toys but probably has something to do with a phone. We are unsure.

    It goes on to explain supporters should “NOT BELIEVE IN RUMOURS AND DO NOT SPREAD THEM”. It’s a very valid point – and we can confirm that everyone here is now extra vigilant of the gossip squads.

    For those with something on their mind or lacking a little self belief, beware. If you are the slightest bit “DOUBTFUL” someone will inform the police.

    With that said, some advice from a person of authority would probably come as some relief if you were even the slightest bit doubtful.

    However, the real treat can be seen at No. 6.

    “DO NOT INDULGE IN STAMPEDE” hits the nail on the head while also unwittingly making the whole idea of stampeding a little attractive.

    You may indulge in ice cream, you may indulge in the odd spa treatment, but few indulge in a stampede.

    Who knows, this sign may end up counter-intuitive. Let’s just hope any culprits do not go anidentified…

    DAY 19 – SUNDAY, MARCH 27 – INDIA IGNITES

    Having never previously experienced an India World Cup match on Indian soil it is hard to get a sense of the true hysteria around these fixtures.

    You see packed houses cheering until their throats croak when things are going well and stony silence when not.

    But for all the colour that TV producers show and however loud you turn the volume up, it doesn’t quite replicate the true experience.

    Here in Mohali, as India prepared to take on Australia in a straight shootout for a semi-final place, what cricket means to people from this region was laid bare.

    Constant ticket requests from taxi drivers, hoteliers and anyone who saw my accreditation lanyard showed the popularity of this match.

    Weaving through the layers of security into the stadium a whole six hours before the start of the main event in Mohali, the crowd was already preparing for a match of meaning and magnitude.

    Face painters, India flag and wig (think green, white and orange troll dolls) salesmen lined the street, all looking to cash in on the enormous patriotism.

    They weren’t short of consumers and it created a superb sight in Mohali with the nation’s colours swaying to the tune of the action on the pitch.

    The noise is deafening, the tension keenly felt from every corner of the stadium.

    It truly is an incredible sight and a feeling like no other in cricket.

    DAY 18 – SATURDAY, MARCH 26 – FEMININE TOUCH

    The women’s World T20 has finally crossed our path with India and the West Indies doing battle prior to India vs Australia in the men’s tournament on Sunday.

    Tying in with the male action it certainly drew a bigger crowd in the presser than is the norm, West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor saying it was her longest pre match media meet to date.

    And it was a press pack with a genuine understanding of proceedings but too often focused on dividing the game between sex.

    “For me personally the game is the same, the rules are the same,” said India captain Mithali Raj before asking a journalist why the game is separated by male and women precursors and not seen simply as cricket.

    With the furore over Novak Djokovic’s comments on women’s tennis and the resignation of Indian Wells CEO Raymond Moore over sexist remarks, it seemed an opportune moment for some to discuss equal pay in cricket.

    “When you see how many people turn up for men’s cricket, because people see men’s cricket as an entertainment package, there’s a revenue that is more than women’s cricket and people are still trying to catch up with women’s cricket,” said Raj.

    Her West Indian counterpart Stafanie Taylor was caught slightly off guard by the question, prompting the ICC media manager to prep Raj before her appearance, but she spoke with sincere authority on the subject.

    “I think there’s some progress,” said Taylor. “I think we’re the pioneers but it’s not going to happen overnight. We’d love to get the same pay as the men because we think we’re working just as hard.

    “I guess we don’t get the support that we would like but we hope that in the future, as pioneers, we set the platform for others to come through and benefit from it.”

    DAY 16 – THURSDAY, MARCH 24 – MALIK’S MOHALI MAJESTY

    Shoaib Malik is a charismatic man, it is without question.

    He is also a man who loves theatre and the opportunity to work a crowd.

    You need look no further than the manner in which he retired from Test cricket at the close of the third day of the final match against England in Sharjah last year.

    Add to that his resignation as captain of the Karachi Kings, a day before the franchise were playing in the second qualifying final of the PSL tournament.

    As a result, whenever Malik strides into a press conference you are expecting something out of the ordinary.

    But facing the media ahead of Pakistan’s final Super 10s match against Australia, Malik was in an easy mood even as he addressed how the side supported Bangladesh in their match against India last night.

    “We all watched it together. We wanted to see Bangladesh win,” said Malik very diplomatically. “Not because we don’t like India, that’s not the reason. “We wanted to see ourselves still in the tournament. We were supporting good cricket.”

    After doing his duty, Malik held court with journalists wanting to squeeze in a couple more questions before stopping to take a photo with one who had brought up some past issues – even kissing him on the forehead.

    It was a calmer performance than normal from Malik but as entertaining as ever.

    CHANDIGARH’S COLOUR

    The Holi Festival of Colours is being celebrated today, a crazy event that sees people take to the streets and hurl paint and powder at one another – in much the same manner as the Color Run albeit for very different reasons.

    A Hindu celebration, it is a national holiday across the country but Chandigarh is not known to celebrate in the same way as other states due to its high Sikh populace.

    Australia vs Pakistan preview LIVE from Chandigarh, Mohali

    Posted by Sport 360 on Thursday, 24 March 2016

    But with shops shutting down across Mohali, roads clearing and the place coming to a rare standstill, it was evident that a large proportion were joining in the fun.

    Kids waited by the roads to pepper those on bikes and in tuk-tuks (many thanks to our driver, who didn’t stop!) with some two-wheeled revelers even swinging by the liquor store to pick up a bottle of malt-based beverage to lubricate the occasion.

    Although a showering has been avoided thus far, it was probably a bad day to wear a white shirt and best trousers.

    DAY 15 – TUESDAY, MARCH 22 – RESTRICTED VIEWING

    One local journalist from the Times of India described the Mohali press box as being a ground breaking facility when it was first brought to the world in 1993 but how times have changed.

    Now sitting at the wooden desks that make you feel like you’re back at school on likewise dated plastic and metal chairs it feels a world away from the plush Dubai International Cricket Stadium or the more contemporary HPCA Stadium which housed us previously.

    You peer out from a squat press box, replete with ever so slightly staggered seating (a hindrance to us reporters in shorter stature), pillars that take out a tenth of the pitch and 1 and a half metre pane of glass that means you can’t see the boundary at one end of the ground and skiers steepling well above the top of the outpost.

    Adding to that charm are the low floodlights owing to the proximity of planes flying overhead from the nearby airport.

    But much like Sharjah’s outdoor throwback this is a ground filled with the charm that makes it such an experience to watch and report on cricket from.

    Hours before the start the drums ring out around the ground and the footfall is both high in number and in volume.

    It all makes for a richer experience but one that leaves match reports quite reliant on the 15-second TV delay.

    DAY 13 – SUNDAY MARCH 20 – THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC

    “You know why we’re celebrating,” asks a euphoric India fan outside McLeod Ganj’s hugely popular McLlo restaurant and bar. “We beat Pakistan!”

    The place is draped in famous cricketing faces to have dined there, with Adam Gilchrist popping up on the walls regularly.

    There are also photos of the Pakistan team that visited over ten years ago and one framed picture of Pierce Brosnan saying it’s “Pierce’s choice”.

    Everyone present was aware of proceedings in Kolkata as Virat Kohli’s sumptuous innings was cheered on with vigour, Pakistan’s woes against spin joyously consumed and every smidgen of hope Shahid Afridi’s men threatened met with deathly silence.

    But silence was something forgotten after India’s win as the fans disappointed to not be seeing the game at their own stadium brought Dharamsala to life in wild celebration.

    Hundreds took to the square in McLeod Ganj as revelry broke out.

    Cars were parked with music blaring, it only drowned out by chants of “Kohli, Kohli!” and “India, India!”

    Kohli drew immense approval from fans in another example of his star rising as MS Dhoni’s starts to somewhat fade.

    Dhoni will always be a superstar here but the prodigal son is taking over.

    Another player drawing most vocal support was Yuvraj Singh.

    Yuvraj has largely struggled with international cricket since his health troubles in 2011 but one thing that remains is the backing of the fans.

    The sight of him on the TV screens were cheered more than most other players and bearing a slight – albeit scaled down – resemblance to Stuart Broad it gave many of the fans unadulterated joy in reminding “Little Broad” of Yuvraj’s destruction of the then baby-faced England bowler at the inaugural World T20 in 2007.

    “Broad… Broad! Six sixes… Yuvraj!” was the common gleeful comment followed by requests for photos.

    For Dharamsala, all of the anger and upset of having the match stripped from them briefly subsided as those present savoured yet another world tournament win over their arch rivals.

    It was a thing of wonder and sheer passion that was a pleasure to be a part of and it keeps alive India’s hopes of going deep into the tournament, a must for the ICC and BCCI in their aim to make it the most financially beneficial it can be.

    DAY 12 – SATURDAY, MARCH 19 – ON PAUSE

    It is the day of India vs Pakistan and there is no escaping the match here.

    Every newspaper is carrying something on the game, the stunning matches from last night largely marginalised as the ‘Big One’ strengthens its grip on things.

    Television is no different with everyone vying for an angle to pursue but most content with whipping up a frenzy around the match.

    It gives you a true sense of the importance of this game to the two nations as the build-up has amplified in today’s pre-amble.

    In Dharamsala it feels a lot different.

    An early downpour seemed to reflect the mood, most people still smarting from the game being taken away from their state.

    But clear skies and bright sunshine have moved in and the stadium is in full splendour, innocently unaware of what has gone on.

    People are milling about but without real purpose, while a number of journalists are delighted the game has shifted venue as it would have meant for a manic 72 hours or so with Australia vs New Zealand complicating filing.

    “I am so glad the game isn’t here, it would have been so much more work,” one journalist for a top cricketing website retorted half joking, half serious.

    “We wouldn’t have stopped,” said another in the media centre.

    They’re right, the workload would have been large but for three hours or so everyone would’ve stopped and they still will do tonight.

    DAY 10 – THURSDAY, MACRH 17 – THE MARK

    Today’s press conferences in Dharamsala have been interesting ones as the Australian and New Zealand press packs have landed and Steve Smith and Ross Taylor have been placed under the microscope.

    Questions have been varied and taken in talks of the weather, spin options and batting lineups but there has been one constant.

    A volunteer working on assisting the media here at the HPCA Stadium posed the same question to both players, placed in position to get them discussing the picturesque ground and the virtues of playing in such a place.

    It has been a cunning ploy more fruitful than one of Baldrick’s proposals to Blackadder with both men saying how wonderful a place it is to play cricket.

    “I’ve never seen our team take so many photos once they got off the plane,” said Taylor. “If that was in New Zealand we’d probably have got told off for taking photos on the tarmac. It was pretty special. Hopefully we can have that in the background playing tomorrow and the people of New Zealand and Australia will see what a lovely place this is.”

    “No doubt it’s a beautiful view here,” added Smith. “It is a nice view and a nice place to play and we’re looking forward to playing out here tomorrow.”

    Good work, my liege.

    DAY 9 – WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 – TIMES NOW’S FLASHING LIGHTS

    Usually when the TV is on in the background, it is just that – background noise. Not in India.

    Sitting with other journalists and HPCA staff at our hotel, the glaring graphics and blaring sound of Times Now were simply impossible to ignore.

    Their broadcasters are loud, their subjects louder – as everyone on the screen attempts to shout over the other, the news ticker helpfully informing that an attractive Bollywood star has just turned 23.

    The whole thing should come with a warning – for both the flashing lights and flash-in-the-pan opinions.

    A flick through the other channels brings similar styles and some breathtaking pieces of news.

    First there is #Mallyagate as members of parliament berate each other, shouting over the speaker and working up chants from their peers in session.

    Elsewhere, a member of the BJP MLA violently hits a police horse during a “peaceful protest” and is on TV to explain that the horse’s injuries were not a result of his actions but instead the way it fell. Sure.

    Is it news? Is it entertainment? It’s India!

    DAY 7 – MONDAY, MARCH 14 – HIMACHAL HOSPITALITY

    Quite simply, the hospitality I’ve received in Himachal it is second to none… or maybe a select few.

    Everyone has been going above and beyond to help out at every opportunity, including instructing the excellent media drivers to snake their way up to Bhagsu in the early hours of the morning; thunderstorms may have been unrelenting and the cricket may have finished, but deadlines had to be met.

    This Himachal hospitality has also included laying on a new hotel for travellers in need of something warmer and closer to the stadium, a process that of course took in a stunning lunch.

    Yellow dal, khoru, mixed raita and the standard fare of roti and white rice were all delightful; as far as spicing goes, Asia has it spot on.

    A few eyebrows were raised when a Masala chai was ordered with lunch – but when you’re British, the need for tea is all-consuming!

    DAY 6 – SUNDAY, MARCH 13 – MISTAKEN IDENTITY

    The media entrance to the HPCA Stadium takes you through a small college where numerous signs warning “no ragging” instantly peak your interest.

    ‘Ragging’, it appears, relates to the kind of initiation famous in the NFL and American colleges that you see in movies – it is essentially sold as either bullying or tomfoolery, depending on your point of view.

    Walking through the grounds of the school and its pupils, this small Caucasian journalist – who looks half his real age of 27 – has had eyes locked on him like a new kid on his first day of school.

    I’ve thought about waving the accreditation pass in their faces – but where is the fun in that?

    The intrigue is a natural one when you see something alien to your own surroundings and walking down the streets to kids practicing their English to you and giggling is rather entertaining.

    With that said, it seems the two words completely mastered so far are simply “hello” and “excuse me”.

    Starting to wonder if they need any English teachers. It is nice here…

    DAY 5 – SATURDAY, MARCH 12 – SUPER STAR COVERAGE

    Desperately clinging to the blanket, wrapped up like a spring roll in my chilly hotel room, much warmth came from watching Star Sports’ coverage of the World T20.

    In among the hilarious MS Dhoni ads for HD coverage (including swarming children encouraged by the Indian captain in song), Star were last night broadcasting a “Legends of Cricket’ programme hosted by Harsha Bhogle and featuring VVS Laxman.

    It was a charming homage to the legendary batsman (Laxman that is) and one which truly tapped into the psyche of a man who churned out runs for fun for his country.

    It seemed difficult to top but the best was yet to come.

    What followed was a rundown of every previous World T20 tournament with none other than Kumar Sangakkara, who shed light on his own experiences of each edition as well as the overarching storylines that have played out down the years and how the format has developed.

    Looking back on it, you wonder how the landscape may have been different had India not won the inaugural event.

    Also, it makes you wonder where bowl-offs went. Who doesn’t want to see Robin Uthappa’s bow to the crowd?

    Well, maybe Pakistanis.

    DAY 4 – FRIDAY, MARCH 11 – WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

    It seems the world is being drowned at the minute.

    First, social media was inundated with the usual fascination of rain and sleet in the UAE as everything looked to have come to its standard standstill in order for people to tweet and video their experiences of this ever so odd wet stuff falling from the sky.

    Then our podcast contributors Peter Miller and Andrew Nixon described their surrounds as dreary and bleak, before the heavens opened in Dharamsala.

    It has hammered down here and as a result play has been affected, making the media centre a rather odd place to be. Anyone who follows cricket knows how frustrating intermittent rain is and for the journos in sync with their set deadlines, it causes some concern.

    One constant is the catering area, which has been busily distracting from the drenched blue covers of the HPCA stadium.

    DAY 3 – THURSDAY, MARCH 10 – THREE WHEELS UP FOR A FREE TIBET

    You never quite know what’s coming round the corner next as you go up and down the Himachal hills; as we bumped our way down in the three-wheel might of a local tuk-tuk there presented itself a movement of real meaning.

    Hundreds took to the streets of Dharamsala to march in support of a free Tibet, flags and candles being waved and lit as locals were joined by foreigners in aid of the cause.

    The Dharamsala march was part of a global initiative that happens every year on March 10, the date that marks the 1959 uprising of Tibet against Chinese occupation.

    It is obvious as soon as you arrive in the state that it is heavily linked to Tibet as their countrymen stride the streets in local garb in vast numbers.

    Sheer geography would suggest that but there is a real clash of cultures here, one that looks to have united all inhabitants.

    Peaceful, pertinent and positive, it brought a whole new vibrancy and meaning to the state as an outsider looking in.

    DAY 2 – WEDNESDAY MARCH 9 – DRIVE SLOW HOMIE

    Without turning this diary into a motoring piece, it must be said that the drivers in Dharamsala are some of the most skilled you will come across.

    How they navigate the hilly climbs, seemingly errant rules of the road and barely tarmacked roads is hard to fathom.

    They are reliant largely on Suzikis, of the Maruti kind, that weave in and out of the oddest traffic hazards with aplomb, their horns tonking but never really getting above 20kmph.

    If you cleared the roads and let them loose you would have on your hands a real-life Wacky Races of the most treacherous kind.

    ‘THE VOICE’ – CANINE EDITION

    The serenity of Dharamsala came crashing down to earth late last night as the stray dogs that had appeared so lazy and languid during the day suddenly came to life.

    At nightfall, an incessant vocal battle commenced, despite their being no ‘The Voice’ style swivel chair in sight. My winning pick would have been canine No. 4 incidentally who, as fatigue turned into delerium, appeared as though he may have actually been howling 10cc’s ‘Dreadlock Holiday’.

    DAY 1 – TUESDAY, MARCH 8 – DIZZY DHARAMSALA RASCALS 

    As soon as you step off the plane in Dharamsala, the awe-inspiring backdrop of the Himalayas knocks you for, ahem, six.

    It is a stunning sight to arrive to at the tiny Gaggal airport, while winding up the narrowest of streets through the city further exposes visitors to the dizzying heights of the mountainous region.

    And if the views don’t leave you breathless, the thinness of the air at such altitude will definitely do the trick!

    Tuk-tuks and minute motors designed to tackle the ramshackle roads spin up and down the hills on the climb into Dharamshala and McLeod. Beyond all the horns that warn potential oncomers of another’s presence, everything moves to its own beat beside those slim stretches of road.

    The vast array of cows slothenly basking in the sunshine, the stray dogs going about their business and the pottering residents and tourists all move as one hazy backdrop.

    It is a completely different haze to the one that greets you at Delhi airport, where the air is thick with a fog as if a Dubai-worthy firework display still lingers in the air.

    The mania of that expedition was brief and glaring for a bleary eyed traveller but the colour, noise and verve of Dharamsala is markedly different.

    Tranquil, relaxed and seemingly in a world of its own, there is little wonder on first impression that this is renowned as such a spiritual home in India.

    UP AND RUNNING

    The first World T20 qualifiers got underway in Nagpur on Tuesday, with Dharamsala – the home of all Group A fixtures – quickly filling with media professionals and fans alike.

    Rameez Raja, the Star Sports broadcasting team and tournament officials all shared the internal flight from Delhi to Gaggal, with Irish fans also particularly prevalent.

    With such little emphasis placed on these qualifiers by the big teams – with warm-up matches and other T20I series going on at the same time – it is good to see that those faces that matter haven’t forgotten about the pivotal qualification matches.

    On first glance it seems a strong Irish support can be expected, but the uptake from locals will prove decisive in whether the opening double header at the HPCA Stadium is played out in front of a crowd of any note.

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