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Would you get up at 4:45 in the morning to watch your favorite sports team? That's exactly what nearly 100 cricket fans did Saturday, packing two floors of Tawa Indian Restaurant on Summer Street in Stamford. Restaurant owner Kausik Roy opened his doors before dawn to accommodate fans hoping to experience India's first Cricket World Cup victory since 1983.
The rowdiest fans, decked out in the blue uniforms of the Indian national team, were the members of the Stamford Cricket Club. Formed last year and mostly made up of immigrants from India, the group found nearly 100 cricket enthusiasts in Stamford alone to form a league. It now meets every Sunday in the spring and summer for a shortened version of the game.
"I've been a cricket fan since I was a little kid. I came here [to America] in 1993, but my love for the game really reignited when we formed the Stamford Cricket Club," Sahul Sharma said. "All our wives and kids are here, and we opened up to the community so upstairs is filled with people, too."
Sharma encouraged Americans who find cricket foreign to give the game a shot. He said baseball fans would likely have the easiest time adapting to the rules.
Nearly nine hours after the first ball was bowled, India had pulled off an improbable comeback victory over Sri Lanka to win its first World Cup in 28 years. The Stamford fans, half a world away from the game played in Mumbai, exploded with cheers of joy. Roy sprayed champagne over the crowd, and another fan waved an Indian flag.
"I haven't felt anything like this since I left India," Sharma said. "We usually don't get to get together with people from your own country who love cricket like this. I've watched games at home on my computer, but it's not the same."
With India's triumphant victory, Sharma had one request for the city: "We want a parade in downtown Stamford!"
Are you a cricket fan? Do you understand the game? Did you watch the World Cup final? Start the discussion below!
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