Indian cricket

The Americans wonder over the Britisher's love for cricket but they are even more surprised over the passion that inspires cricket in India. India is the only country in the world where more than one lakh spectators come to watch a match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata even if India is not one of the players;and a half of whom get disappointed on not getting an entry but still keep hovering around in the hope of gaining entry in the stadium. The situation is more or less the same at other places like Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Bangalore. Now the popularity of one-day cricket has broken all spectator records. Even counterfeit tickets get sold and people are willing to buy the ticket at double or thrice its normal price. Some people, through these black deeds, become rich overniht.
Seeing the passion of Indians for cricket, even the britishers are amazed that the magic of the British Raj is so pervasive in India. The Indians themselves accept that among the legacies left by the Britisher, if England language and literature comes at top, the cricket, famous for its glorious uncertainties, comes nearest to it. Not just in the main cities, even if you go to the remotest villages, you can not help getting interested by people's love for cricket. The tea vendors, rickshaw wallahs, students and employees working in offices, you can see all of them tuned in to the radio or watching the match on television. It seems as if an unannounced curfew is on. Besides the streets, even schools, colleges and offices wear a deserted look.

Reference: http://iworldessar.blogspot.com