Red-letter day

*Vendors selling tricoloured wrist bands and those painting flags on faces did brisk business outside stadium.

*Many spectators said they want a bilateral series to be held to usher peace between the two nations; a young Indian fan had a placard saying ‘our aim is to bring peace,so please cooperate’; a Pakistani family from Karachi was all praise for Indian hospitality; as fans danced on Punjabi songs, a few were doing brisk business selling cold drinks.

*Tricity was at a stand still with fans watching analysing every ball wherever they could get a chance.

*In the morning residents had to face traffic snarls as VVIPs arrived

*Variety of luxury cars could be seen arriving at airport to pick up celebrities; a large number of these bore Delhi numbers.

*Students of Yuvsatta and Institute for Peace and Secular Studies,Lahore,distributed 10,000 peace flags among those going to watch match; Actor Suniel Shetty and singer Daler Mehndi were among those who received the flags.

*Some Punjab Police personnel watching the match asked by senior officers to stick to duty plan,some cops hid in stands to avoid getting noticed while watching match.

*For policemen posted at PCA Stadium gates,it was a case of so near and yet so far; some of them were glued to radios to catch score.

*Not only cricket-crazy students but also Punjab University staff were glued to LCD screens at various spots on campus; university had already announced half-day off on Tuesday but most students preferred to bunk classes completely; employees watched match at Administration block while screens were put up for students at Student Centre Common Room,Gymnasium hall and Law Auditorium; all common rooms in boys’ and girls’ hostels packed; to create extra sitting space,all furniture removed and mattresses provided.

*Prime Ministers Dr Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani should discuss “all issues of mutual interest” on the sidelines of the match,felt most fans from both the nations. “They should discuss peace and try to end the bitterness once for all,” said the brother of Pakistani seemer Wahab Riaz.

Another Pakistani fan,Intekhab,said: “Gilani’s presence in Mohali signifies the tremendous enthusiasm of the people of Pakistan for cricket. It also coincides with the resumption of the Pakistan-India dialogue process.”

“The two prime ministers meeting at this important event and watching the match together should not go useless,” said Rakhi Gupta.

We want peace and open borders for better relations,said Abhay,another fan.

*The PCA stadium turned out to be the hot spot with not only thousands of fans queuing up on time — several VVIPs were seen at the stadium much before the game began. It was not the love for cricket that drew most of these regional VIPs to the venue since they had not bothered to watch earlier ICC CWC ties here. It was possibly their eagerness to be marked present before their political masters on such a day.

*While most of celebrities witnessed the match from the AC lounge and terrace block,singer Mika watched the same from the members stand near the student block. Most fans huddled around Mika for his autograph and the singer obliged. He even sang few of his hit numbers for the fans.

*Whenever Indian batsmen smashed boundaries or bagged Pakistani wickets,Chak De India was played in the background. When the Pakistani team did the same,Michael Jackson’s famous numbers were played in the stadium. Latest Punjabi songs rocked the fans.

*Harbhajan Singh’s coach Desh Prem Azad celebrated India;s win with his family and friends at his Sector 43 house in Chandigarh. Locals assembled outside his house and brought sweets with them. Azad praised Team India’s effort and wished M S Dhoni’s men best of luck for the final on April 2.

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