NAVI MUMBAI: Long before dark clouds started hovering over the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday, fans had taken to the streets. With the match being scheduled for 3 PM, thousands of fans had flocked the road around the stadium and in front of the hotel where the Indian team was staying from 10 am. After all, it is a Cricket World Cup final at home where India women have a chance to beat South Africa and achieve eternal glory.
Throughout the tournament, fans have shown up in record numbers, especially for India matches, but this was different. This is something the Indian women’s team had never experienced in their favour. They had been on the other side of it when 86,174 fans filled up the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the 2020 T20 World Cup final against Australia. Sunday would be their moment with a massive ‘sold out’ board hanging in the main gate of the venue.
There have been stories about how close to 80,000 fans, predominantly women and young girls, filled the Eden Gardens for the 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand. But if everyone who got the tickets showed up, braving the rain, Sunday could well be the most attended (close to 45,000) Women’s ODI World Cup match on record.
However, much to their and the thousands of fans who had been waiting for hours to get into the venue, dark clouds opened up to delay the start. Truth be told, it did not come as a surprise. There have been rain forecast for a while and throughout this World Cup, it has been a constant visitor — right from the opening game in Guwahati to the final in Navi Mumbai.
According to the playing conditions, the match officials first priority would be to get a result on Sunday. Only if that is not possible — the minimum requirement is 20 overs with the cut off time close to 9.30 PM — the match will continue on Monday from where it was paused. If a result is not possible on both days, then the match will be declared with no result and the trophy will be shared between India and South Africa. It is something neither team would want. They have reached the final after going through an emotional rollercoaster and will want to go home knowing that they gave everything on the world to win the trophy.
It is almost 3.30 PM at the DY Patil Stadium, after multiple rain interventions, the cover has been on for almost an hour. The Sun has peeked briefly once in a while, but dark clouds are still looming. With the weather forecast being unpredictable, both teams and the tens of thousands of fans who had already packed the stadium in blue, drenched in the drizzles and rain would be hoping that it all passes soon and cricket could take centre stage. For this tournament and these two teams deserve that much.
