For many Indians, the matches are a chance to give their children first-hand experience of a sport they loved but could no longer watch live.
There is no cricket fan who will want to pay $6000 (about Rs 5 lakhs) for one over of an India-Pakistan game. However, some Indians flew from all corners of America for the Sunday match not because it was just about the game only.
He had flown in with his two sons Adit and Arav from Louisville, Kentucky where he works as a marketing executive for an insurance tech start up. He spent nearly $1,600 each on tickets bought through Vivid Seats ticket sales company.
He said speaking when they stood on line waiting at a food stall during rain break “We are hoping that it doesn’t get rained out.” Rain stopped play after one over when India was batting.
Agarwal has lived in US for more than two decades and has watched only one cricket match live on American soil – a college match.
Arav and Adit are studying in Indiana University and high school respectively while both were born here. “I don’t know much about cricket; I came here for the overall experience,” said Adit who played American football back then at school.
Agarwal said” “I think for these kids… It’s more like… being part of Indian community or culture.” “It’s both cultural and sporting event, may best team win today. That’s what I told some of my Pakistani friends.”
Many spectators were there mainly because of cultural linkage or sentiment such as shown by the Agarwals.
Ramesh Parikh, New Jersey businessman took his son Deep Parikh with him to watch the match. The former Indian cricketers Polly Umrigar and Chandu Borde were his childhood heroes from Calcutta (now Kolkata). He had left the game he loved when he moved to America in 1969. The match was at the same time a celebration of Ramesh Parikh’s 78th birthday, which falls on June 10.
Another crowd segment was made up of business executives. Indeed, companies rushed to grab them so tickets became too expensive even for an average resident of the world’s largest economy ($85,000 per capita). As New York is a global corporate hub, there were expectations that a large number of business executives would be present.
Businesses with Indian connections saw the game as an opportunity to entertain their clients and guests. One such firm is Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP law firm.
“We had more than 50 guests and business associates from around the world join us for the event,” said Prakash Mehta, a partner at the firm who works primarily with investment management.
The night before the match his company held parties for clients and guests in Manhattan, according to a member of U.S.-India Business Council board Prakash Mehta.
The stands and boxes of the stadium were also occupied by two other organizations; Washington Freedom, which is a Major League Cricket franchise owned by Sanjay Govil, an Indian-American entrepreneur, and Indiaspora, a well connected Diaspora network initiated by MR Rangaswami from San Francisco.
On this day, the team travelled to the stadium from Manhattan on two buses that were decorated with the organization’s symbol. One of the notable passengers was Indra Nooyi, who wore India jersey.
