Offices,pubs,cinemas… all tuned in

Mumbaiities are set for a mid-week cricket party with many companies announcing a half-day on Wednesday when India take on Pakistan in the semi-final match at Mohali.

Mumbaiities are set for a mid-week cricket party with many companies announcing a half-day on Wednesday when India take on Pakistan in the semi-final match at Mohali. Pubs and multiplexes have been booked in advance while housing colonies are arranging projectors to enjoy the big-ticket World Cup clash.

Multiplex chain Cinemax has set aside 24 screens for cricket fans to watch the match in surround sound,said Sunil Punjabi,CEO Cinemax (India). More than 8,000 bookings have been made in screens across the city including Versova,Goregaon and Kandivali. Group bookings have been made for tickets in the Rs 300-500 range. Corporates and other groups have booked with us and typically people are coming in groups of 20-25, said Punjabi. The multiplex has also planned food packages ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 900.

PVR Cinemas has already booked over 2,000 seats at select screens. The starting price of tickets is Rs 250, said Rahul Singh,senior VP(Operations) PVR.

Even housing societies are doing their bit. Around 400-odd residents of Jeevan Sapna Society in Kandivali west have hired a projector for the match. We will use the buildings lawn as a seating area, said resident Kamlesh Boriya,who arranged for the projector,drums and Team India tee shirts.

Some cricket loyalists have taken leave from work to cheer the team in Mohali. Anubhuti Sharma,23,who works with a media production firm,paid Rs 8,000 for a ticket to Chandigarh. I am ready with the tricolour,team tee shirt,whistle and paints, she said.

Some companies have set up giant screens for employees and are even providing refreshments. Bhavi Bheda,who works in a HR Consultancy firm,said,I will either go to a pub or go to my husbands office which has arranged for screens,food and drinks for employees and their families, said Bhavi.

While Ajay Piramal Group,Axis Bank and Bharti-Axa General Insurance have declared half-day leave,firms such as ICICI Prudential Asset Managment,Reliance Industries,Ernst & Young,Aviva Life Insurance,SBI Mutual Fund,India Infoline,Fox-Star, Birla Sun Life AMC and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance will screen the match.

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MNS has organised a free screening of the semi-final at a hall in Abhyudaya Nagar in Kalachowkie. The screening will be accompanied by playing of drums. MLS Bala Nangaonkar will be present to cheer the team.

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