Just when we concluded our International flight and our first night in India, we were off again!
Time to head to where the Women’s Premier League is taking place. Vadodara (formally known as Baroda), in the state of Gujarat. To ensure that we made it in time for the game that same night, we had to fly via Goa airport.
You can see the real difference in terms of landscape across India. Such a huge country with vast lands, however you don’t have to wait too long to see plenty of small cities populating the land. Closer to Goa, the landscape changed to lush green country side that hugs the coast.
Our first game didn’t disappoint, one bit. The noise and atmosphere was next level would be an understatement and the cricket was just superb. The colour, music and crowd noise, all that I had imagined.
Due to Russian’s contact, Lisa Keightley, the assistant coach for the Delhi Capitals we were able to get corporate box tickets with the family and friends of the DC side. Now I can certainly handle watching any cricket game in VIP style.
DC was playing Royal Challengers Bengaluru. There were plenty of Aussies in that side too, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham and Kim Garth. However it was the captain of RCB that stole the show, Smriti Mandhana. Smriti’s inning of 81 was elegant yet powerful; her shot selection and placement were masterful. Too much for the Delhi Capitals, because 141 was not enough runs on the board.
Even within our first full day in India we have had plenty of adventures.
Security in India airports is tight with screenings segregated to male and females. Head into a little box where a female security officers scans you, but before that we had to ensure that we pulled out all electrical cords, and the usual stuff.
Lots of Indian families travelling with kids had to pull out everything and can you believe the one thing that was confiscated was a soccer ball. Though not surprised given cricket, whilst not the national sport is the SPORT.
We also booked our first Uber ride in India. Whilst efficient, it was a small Maruti Suzuki that was a little sweat box with no AC. Also seat belts didn’t seem to be a thing here, despite us both trying to click it in. The ground is a fare way out of the city so it was a chance for our driver to zoom in and out. Will explain the road rules in a future blog.
With the ground in site, our driver wanted to pull in and fill up the petrol tank. Russian wasn’t having any of that and politely enquired if we have enough petrol to get to the stadium, where the answer was yes. So carry on.
Gate 1 was our destination, though police officers where asking us to move on. Until our driver shouted out VIP guests, which I think he was really happy with himself.
Finally once we arrived in the box and after the day we had, I thought it was time to celebrate with some bubbles of what we had achieved in the first day. To my surprise when I asked the staff what they had for drinks, they went through the range of soft drinks, water and mint water. I had no idea in the state of Gujarat it is a dry state.
So Russian and I celebrate with mint water as we took in the game.
What a day…I can’t wait to see what the next few days holds in store for us.
