Thursday, November 24, 2005
Live cricket
I went to watch the One Day International match between India and Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad. It was extremely well-organized. The roads were dusty, the parking a little haphazard, but everything else - security, the food, the crowd - was just outstanding. I only watched the first innings. Even though Gautam Gambhir hit a century and India scored almost 300 runs, the match was mostly boring. The only entertainment was the endless series of Mexican waves that circled the stadium.
I don't think cricket - even one-day internationals - is a very good spectator sport. As Indians get more prosperous and busier, Bollywood movies will get shorter and either Twenty20 cricket will stick, or basketball, soccer etc. will rapidly become popular.