So, I went to see cricket for the first time
Cricket in India is insane, too famous for its own good, really. I had always wanted to watch cricket live, but I never knew how. For the longest time, I genuinely believed you needed to know someone, someone who knows someone, to get a ticket. Apparently not, at least not for this World Cup, thanks to the ICC.
I simply opened BookMyShow, selected my seats, paid via UPI, and voila, just like that, I had a confirmed ticket to watch my first ever cricket match at Chepauk. Who was playing? I had no clue, it was not India for sure. I just wanted to watch cricket. I only bothered to check the teams after booking. It turned out to be USA vs Namibia.
On match day, I had to dig out my sunglasses, cap and sunscreen. Everything had to be applied in advance because almost nothing is allowed inside the stadium except your phone and wallet. Not even water bottles.
I decided to reach the stadium via MRTS. I got to Velachery MRTS station and bought a second-class ticket for ₹5. The train was already waiting at the platform and, almost dramatically, departed the moment I boarded. I expected a crowded train, since it was match day at chepauk, but it was surprisingly empty. The journey took around 40 minutes, definitely faster than driving. Parking near Chepauk would have been a nightmare anyway. I’d probably have had to park somewhere near Marina Beach and walk half a marathon.
I got off at Chepauk MRTS and walked down the stairs... a gloomy, weird, and creepy descent that smelled distinctly of urine. I was swept up in a sea of people, all clearly headed toward the same destiny... CRICKET. I had no idea which of the multiple exits to take, but for once, that wasn't stressful. I just blindly followed the herd.
Soon, I could see the stadium. I could hear the crowd even before I reached it. Excited, I walked closer, looking for my entry gate. According to my ticket, I needed Gate 16 to access the K-Upper Stand. That’s when I realised I was standing on the exact opposite side of the stadium.
This meant a one kilometre walk via Walajah Road and then Bells Road. As expected, there were no proper walkable footpaths. Pedestrians had to share the road with buses and cars that passed uncomfortably close. I honestly think Chepauk deserves wide, permanent footpaths on all sides where the gates are. If we can host international matches, we can probably manage sidewalks.
Eventually, after a marathon walk, I reached Gate 16, scanned my ticket, and started climbing the steep stairs to the K-Upper Stand. These stairs are not elderly friendly. I managed fine, but if you’re planning to bring your parents along, be prepared, it’s a workout unintentionally included with the ticket.
Once I reached the rear of K-Upper and entered the stands, the feeling was hard to describe. The outfield was lush green, the sky was blue, the crowd was loud, and the breeze was cool. It felt perfect. I quickly found my seat, and I still believe K-Upper is the best place to watch cricket at Chepauk. Research done did pay off.
USA batted first and posted exactly 199, setting a target of 200 for Namibia. I could barely tell the two teams apart since their jerseys were almost identical. I hadn’t realised how high scoring Chepauk pitch had become after the outfield/pitch relay. The crowd was surprisingly mature, clapping at the right moments and staying quiet when needed. Except for a few individuals who whistled continuously for no apparent reason. Anils? Probably. Nothing against them, just strong lung capacity, questionable timing, and a remarkable knack for annoying others.
TNCA had arranged free water behind the stands, which was genuinely welcome since we weren’t allowed to bring our own, which also seems to be suspicious, cause they could just let us bring our own water, but I'll let it slide. I was mildly concerned about the amount of waste... the staff opened packaged water bottles and poured them into paper cups individually for each serve. With nearly 20,000 people in the crowd, and me alone going back four or five times, that is a lot of cups. The food options were all high calorie comfort items, pizza, doughnuts, and similar temptations. I’ve just started a proper diet and gym routine, and there was no way I was breaking it here. I settled for a pista kulfi instead, which cost me about ₹80. Worth it, but still, ₹80.
During the innings break, I stepped out to buy a jersey. There were tons of CSK, RCB, Team India, Australia, and New Zealand jerseys, but none for the teams actually playing. I walked around for a while, gave up, and headed back. That’s when I learned an important rule... once you exit the stadium, you cannot reenter with the same ticket. One entry per ticket. I hadn’t known this. Thankfully, I had booked two tickets, one for me and one for my dad, who was originally supposed to come along before deciding to take my mom shopping instead. I used the extra ticket to enter again.
God works in mysterious ways.
As I settled back into my seat, I realised this was exactly how I wanted my first live cricket experience to be. It was an absolute banger. By the time I completed my thought, the match was over and USA won. Two innings went by quickly, much quicker than I expected watching on TV. I guess that's the magic of watching it live. Once you watch cricket live, it gives you a different perspective of the game. You notice things you wouldn't normally notice, and you appreciate the game in a whole new way, especially the relationship between the players and the crowd. In TV, you only see what the camera shows you, but in live, you see everything.