World Cup Diary: Rohit Sharma & Co usher in Diwali early at team hotel

Kolkata: The Diwali presented a wonderful opportunity for the Men in Blue, as the Indian cricket team is known as, for a bonding session at their team hotel in Bengaluru on Saturday. As the team will be facing wooden spooners Netherlands in their last league game of the World Cup on Sunday, they ushered in the festive mood with traditional Indian wear and cuisine a day earlier in a lavish get together hosted by BCCI.

‘’From us to all of you,’’ said vice-captain KL Rahul in his X handle with a group photo of the team members, which has gone viral. Skipper Rohit Sharma posted a picture of himself and his wife Ritika with wishes for all his friends and fans. A video released by BCCI resembled more like a Diwali party in Bollywood with most of the married players like Virat Kohli, Rohit, Ravindra Jadeja, Surya Kumar Yadav and Shardul Thakur arriving with their spouses.  

Star pacer Mohammad Shami wore a traditional kurta and posted a picture with the wishes of a ‘Happy & successful Diwali’. A number of other players also did the same – with a particularly striking one being of the awe-inspiring pace trio of Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit striking a pose in their designer kurtas. ‘Count the memories not the calories,’ were scrawled on a notice board by a support staff in zest as the spread suggested a cheat day could be in the offing.  

The Diwali weekend is expected to help the team recharge their batteries as they get back to business today again, trying to make it nine wins in as many league matches. Their real challenge, of course, lies next week when India is drawn to face New Zealand in Mumbai in the first semi-final on Wednesday.