A father-daughter duo from Scotland had an unforgettable cricket debut at Eden Gardens on Monday, as their team defeated Cup-debutants Italy by 73 runs in a league match of the ICC World Men’s T20.
Roddy Anderson, who attended the game with his daughter Niamh and friend Harry, said: “We had always heard about this stadium or watched matches online, but never got a chance to visit. This time, with our team playing in the league, we did not want to miss any match. Managing a visa in just two weeks was tough, but we’re glad we could make it.”
He praised Scotland’s batting hero George Munsey, whose brisk 84 off 54 balls anchored the innings. “I loved Munsey’s knock. We entered the league at the last moment, but the team played really well,” he said.
Scotland had qualified for the tournament after Bangladesh withdrew, citing security concerns.
For Niamh, whose favourite sport is rugby, the outing was equally special. “It’s my first time watching cricket live in a stadium, and Scotland winning made it more special. I shared clips with my friends back home,” she said.
Roddy and Harry plan to stay for Scotland’s next match against England on February 14, while Niamh returns to Edinburgh on Wednesday. “We don’t get to see such enthusiastic cricket back home, and we plan to make the most of it here,” Roddy said.
Not all spectators were cheering for Scotland. Anurag Chakrabarti, 28, who completed a wine management course in Italy, France and Switzerland and now works at a vineyard in Bengaluru, supported Italy. “I lived in Italy for two years. For a country new to cricket, qualifying for a league match and facing Scotland is a huge achievement,” he said.
The contest also inspired budding cricketers like Ramandeep Singh, 17, who travelled from Bandel in Hooghly. A right-handed batsman training at a club in Chandannagar, Singh said: “It was my first match at Eden. I learned a lot seeing how new teams perform under pressure. Munsey’s innings and fielding stood out.”
Some felt the match ended too quickly. Uttam Das, 38, who came from Bhowanipore with friends, said that Italy’s early batting collapse shortened the excitement. “It was a great match but ended soon. Still, both teams played well,” he said.