IPL 2010! Match No. 52 : Royal Challengers BLR Vs. Mumbai Indians!

Date : 17/04/2010

Location : M. Chinnaswamy Stadium

Comments : A Match full of explosions! Starting with an explosion at Gate 12. A non defused bomb at Gate 8 (where we were!). An explosive begin by the Mumbai Indians. an explosive entry by the beautiful Deepika Padukone... and finally ... an Explosive defeat by a huge margin for the RCB and an explosive shock to the Bangalore Cricket loving community that the semi finals are no more going to be hosted here! Truly the most controversial match of the IPL... We at treksntrips give you footage of what unravelled inside the stadium over the whole game!

The match in Detail:
Getting to see an IPL match and that too a clash of the titans is a great treat anyone can get! Having bought the tickets over a month ago, we were cutting down dates just for this very day. Match No.52: RCB Vs. MI where great stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar - The God of cricket, Bhajji, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, International players like Kallis, Pieterson would display there talent! Our aim was to capture the best seats by 1 P.M. Thats when the gates would open :). But thanks to a delay we entered and got the best seats at 2 P.M!

Our team gathers the best place in the front row (L to R) Ramya, VJ, Ranju, Raji and Rajendra
all smiles before the match!

Raji wants a SIX before the match begins itself!

It was a nice site to see the activity going on at the Stadium. The pitch curators and Groundsmen doing their best job to give the best pitch for the players (BLR known for it's best pitch through out the IPL Season-3!). And when the Mumbai Indians entered for practice...did the crowd roar! Robin Singh doing his job as coach and having a look at the pitch, and Kumble doing his Ph.D as well!

Groundsmen work hard in making the pitch a good one, TV crew fit the Stump cams!

Our very own RCB Skipper Anil Kumble inspects the pitch!

It was at around 2:30 P.M. when at the Gate 12 we heard a loud explosion. Fans instantly reacting saying "They'v started celebrating well before the match begins itself!". Our faces of joy turned into those of concern when we saw Bomb disposal squads and Dogs around the stadium! What was going on? A regular security check or something??? 2:30 soon became 3:30 and then 4! Shouldn't the Toss have taken place?? We were in a frenzy of questions as to what was really happening!

(L to R) Police inspect the ground with specially trained Dogs!, Another pic of the same!, Ayushmaan Khurana and Sunil Gavaskar of Set Max decide on what to tell the public - Technical reasons???

A friendly police guy told us a generator had blown up and so the fuss and delay... It was after a few minutes past 3:30 when we started getting calls from relatives and friends - TRULY CONCERNED! A blast had occurred in the wall of the stadium - a low intensity one but dangerous for sure... 15 people were injured! 20 minutes later another one had exploded a few meters away... That started answering a few questions! A worried Vijay Mallya ran across the stadium to enquire about the proceedings... Our friendly policeman continued saying... "its just a generator"...

(L to R) Owner of Team RCB - and UB Industries Dr. Vijay Mallya enters the scene with security officials, Dr.VM enquires at Gate No.12 as to what the explosion was about!, A truly exasperated Dr.VM with Son Siddharth Mallya following his footsteps walking back after the enquiry! Also seen is Ray Jennings - Coach of RCB

Our looks of terror and concern were soon put away when a friendly sign board was put up... MATCH DELAYED to 5 PM and all 20 Overs would be bowled! WOOW! Thats lucky! Thought the over rates gonna be reduced! The players who were forced to go back to the dressing rooms were soon back into the ground!! A true feast for the eyes!

(L to R Top row): RCB Coach Ray Jennings poses to his Fans... supervising the warm-ups!, Most Stylish Batsman of IPL 2010 - Robin Uthappa comes to Warm-up!,Kallis has a team meeting with Pieterson, Rahul Dravid and Coach RJ whilst Ross Taylor looks on!, Virat Koooli does some practice catches!, Dale Steyn - RCB's KEY bowler practices some fast bowling!
(L to R Row 2) : God of Cricket - Sachin Tendulkar shares some tips with Duminy of the Mumbai Indians!, A group of Mumbai Indians warming up - Sanath Jayasurya seen to the far left!, Zaheer Khan practices bowling keen to take wickets!,RCB boys warm up before MATCH 52 begins! (CLICK TO ENLARGE!)

It's a nice site to see whoever we watch on TV right in front of our eyes... With various comments... "Oh he looks the same" or "Is he so short??" we looked on! Mike Haysman the Commentator on the pitch, we also caught a glimpse of the Little master of the yesteryears... Sunil Gavaskar alongside Sachin! A memorable shot! Finally the toss! Kumble won and elected to field! What an amazing decision! (Little did we know... what we were in for!)

(L to R Row 1): RCB Skipper Anil Kumble tosses the coin as Sachin Tendulkar makes the call for the toss. Cheergirls for the RCB arrive into the ground!, Mumbai Indian Cheergirls Arrive!
(L to R Row 2): Two GREAT CRICKETING LEGENDS next to each other - SUNIL GAVASKAR and SACHIN TENDULKAR! Look at the AURA!,Fans delighted that we have won the toss and elected to field! (how mistaken were we?)

Finally as expected the match began at 5 PM... Lots of batting action to see from Sachin, Duminy and the rest of the Mumbai team. It was during the match I caught sight of the owner - Mrs. Nita Ambani! Cheering Cheerfully as ever for her team! Through out the match we could see Police Commissioner Mr. Shankar Bidari checking the security over the whole stadium.

(L To R Row 1): Tendulkar comes to bat!, Misses a shot... Kohil looks on!, Nita Ambani cheering for Tendulkar at the dug out!, Tendulkar shoots... Ross Taylor seeming to not react???
(L To R Row 2): Kallis comes into Bowling attack!!!, Police commissioner BLR inspects the situation... near our gate!, Dale Steyn Comes into Attack... an awesome snap... bowls to Mclaren as Sachin looks on!!!

And then at 5:42 another bomb strikes! In arrives to the stadium.. .the beautiful... the vivacious... ShantiPriya... :D Deepika Padukone! (Couldn't get the "Aankhon main teri to stop in my head :P). Got her to pose for one of the shots... Have a look yourselves!! Lost a little interest in the match as well.. the score was obnoxiously HIGH! 191/4 ! The only people enjoying in the stadium were the Mumbai supporters and Sachin Tendulkar's SON! ARJUN TENDULKAR!

(CW): Deepika Padukone Arrives to the stadium - fashion designer Manoviraj Khosla makes a style statement on Sid Mallya's Red Shoes! :P, DP gives an amazing smile as MK continues his jokes... , AND MY WINNING MOMENT - The Trio pose for my camera THANKS DEEPIKA! :)

(L to R Row 1): Kumble comes into the bowling attack!, WE HAVE A WICKET FINALLY!, Fans go GAGA at the dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar... but not for long...
(Row 2): Duminy slams... giving gleeful giggles to master blasters son Arjun Tendulkar (Extreme Left waving flag!)

191/4 Not a sight to see for the RCB's! And as for RCB we have great batsmen to defend tht! :P

Well after break... it was a heart break for the young RCB fans... Sniff Sniff... the wickets tumbled and tumbled... until there were no more overs left for wickets to tumble! It was a sight to see poor Anil Kumble- The skipper at the crease to fight for his team... what did the rest of the team do???

(L to R) : The Karbon Kamaal Katch winner :P during the break!, Kallis and Pandy arrive to bat!, After 2 wickets down Pieterson our ONLY hope arrives.... , DOH! EVEN HE's GONE!!!

(L to R): Harbhajan (Singh is King) Arrives to bowl!!! Sets his field right! After taking 2 wickets... the Max MOBILE Strategic (devastating) Time out!, A small fan of the RCB sad at the proceedings :(

(L To R): A sad Deepika looks elsewhere for her entertainment... the boys in red not pleasing her! 97/6 a sight TRULY NOT TO SEE! And finally the bowling skipper himself at the crease posing for the cam ... with 5 balls remaining....

Anyways... We were all done with 129/9 on the board... our net run rate gone to dogs... sad faces... and occasional questions of ARE WE IN THE SEMI FINALS OR NOT??? The MRF BLIMP also was put to rest... as the day ended!

The Final dreaded score of the RCB ... and the Cute MRF BLIMP comes to rest after viewing the days proceedings :)

At this point we had other wonderful worries to think about... How do we get home! None of the auto guys liked Malleswaram this particular night... The bomb was near MG Road... why you guys scared of poor old MVM?? Had to walk till Chalukya hotel... take an Airport bus to Cauvery theater and then end up in auto to mvm... at the end spent the same amt as a cheap IPL ticket to get back HOME!

Overall a nice day at the stadium getting to see the bigwigs of bollywood, business and Cricket industry! Our thoughts proceeded to the points table and the remaining matches to follow... What was the fate of RCB....

Editors note: It was later found that another time bomb was set to go off at 8:oo PM in front of Gate 8 and was diffused at 7 P.M. If this was the case why was the match not cancelled? Why was the decision to shift matches out of Blr? Were these bombs placed just to scare the semi's out of Blr? Loads of Why and What if questions... some of which are unthinkable! Bangalore luckily made it to the semi's and today will be the SEMI in Navi Mumbai.... No idea who'll win! And finally what if I had taken a ticket to sit right next to Deepika??? :)

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And for those who want more of my travelogues check out my trip to SAVANDURGA at http://savandurga-treksntrips.blogspot.com/