AHMEDABAD: More than 100,000 people were anticipated to fill the largest cricket stadium in the world for the Indian Premier League final on Sunday and the potential departure of superstar Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
In Ahmedabad, Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings will play the defending champion Gujarat Titans in an effort to win the lucrative T20 tournament’s sixth championship, which would tie the record, according to AFP.
Gujarat will not be taken lightly, though, under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, as they attempt to defend their crown after a fantastical triumph in their inaugural season a year ago.
In 2022, Pandya won the trophy in front of a record-breaking 101,566 spectators at the 132,000-seat stadium during a T20 cricket match. However, planners had faith that record would be broken on Sunday night.
Tickets for the grand finale are sold out, and we anticipate a packed crowd, a state association media officer told AFP.
Although the organisers had also anticipated a large crowd for the championship game, roughly 75,000 spectators showed out for Gujarat’s crushing victory against Mumbai Indians on Friday.
Scores of fans looked upbeat on Saturday as they queued to redeem their online tickets at a counter outside the stadium.
To “see Dhoni lift the trophy one more time,” software developer Suresh Babu said he had flown from Chennai.
The 43-year-old, who was sporting Dhoni’s yellow Chennai shirt, continued, “I know it may be his last, but we pray that he comes back again next year.”
Gujarat has had a lot of domestic support during their second competitive season, but Dhoni’s participation may cause divisions in the community.
Despite the wicketkeeper-batsman’s statement that he would decide on his IPL future later this year, the 41-year-old is still a great attraction in cricket-crazy India, and it is widely assumed that the championship game will be his last as a player.
The current season has seen the former India captain pack up stadiums around the nation, and the competition final at the Narendra Modi Stadium won’t be any different.
T-shirt vendor Sharif, who only goes by the name Sharif, told AFP that this year, Dhoni’s Chennai number 7 T-shirt is equally popular. Last year, only Pandya jerseys were sold.
Young supporter wearing a Hardik Pandya jersey said: “I want Hardik to win the IPL again, but I still want to see Dhoni hit the helicopter shot for a six.”
In his prime, that shot—a bottom-handed wrist flick—became synonymous with Dhoni.
