Men in orange beat defending champions

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At midnight they won a cricket match, but overnight they won many hearts.

They are the orange jersey men of Kochi Tuskers Kerala, who proved with their win over Chennai Super Kings that they are indeed a team to be cheered for.

Though their triumph over the mighty Mumbai Indians had rewritten the headlines, it was essential for the Kochi based side to win on home ground and seal their platform for a healthy fan base.

The 55,000 capacity stadium had not many rows left empty and among them cheering spectators were two giants of Indian cinema, Actor Mohanlal and ace filmmaker Priyadarshan, both waving the Tuskers’ flag alongside actor Lakshmi Rai.

Before the match, the owners of the Tuskers had expressed hope that they will have packed house, especially as Dhoni was playing.

“Our team had won at the Wankhede, but we need to win here and it is essential that spectators float in and cheer for KTK. We chose Kochi as our base because we trust our fans in Kerala, and the players need to hear the roar to be spirited,” said Mukesh Patel, chairman of Kochi Cricket Private Limited, owner of the team.

When Ravindra Jadeja punched the air after stealing the winning run for the Tuskers against the yellow brigade that was The Team for most Malayalis before Kochi came into the scene, it was the signal of a change.

Actor Jayaram, who is settled in Chennai had said, “Until IPL season 3, I was a huge fan of Chennai Super Kings, mainly because I am settled there but, now I have a reason to change my loyalty. My home state has an IPL team.”

It was never a one-sided affair, neither on field nor off field. While, the players of Kochi won over the players of Chennai, their fans too had the last laugh. The north end of tier-1, which was packed by CSK fans were down under and even their cheerleaders had gone gloomy.

“I had come from Coimbatore to cheer for Chennai but, they let me down. The Kochi team played really great and I could not hate the Kochi team because they have two great players in Mahela Jayawardene and McCullum. Still, I wish Chennai had won,” said a dejected CSK fan wearing the yellow with Dhoni’s name inscribed on it.