Bhubaneswar: It was an early Holi for the twin cities on Sunday as India defeated West Indies in a high-voltage Super-8 clash at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, to book a berth in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final.The must-win contest for India, watched on LED screens across different neighbourhoods in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, turned into a carnival as fans danced, burst crackers, smeared each other with ‘gulal’ and waved the tricolour late into the night.India’s emphatic victory turned into an early Holi celebration across the twin cities, with fans throwing colours into the air. Youngsters smeared each other with ‘gulal’ the moment India neared victory, while many compared the mood to Holi arriving early.In the state capital, fan groups had set up viewing zones at housing societies in localities such as Saheed Nagar, Kalinga Nagar, Patia, Nayapalli, CDA and Badambadi, while cafés and restaurants reported full-house bookings hours before the first ball.Every boundary and wicket triggered loud cheers, with families, students, and office-goers celebrating the victory in their own style. “We received pre-bookings, and the crowd was cheerful throughout the match,” Sanjay Das, a café manager in Patia, said.Many fans said the win revived hopes of India lifting the trophy again. “This is the spirit we waited for quite a long time now. The team held its nerve in a pressure game,” said Alok Sahoo, a student watching the match in Chandrasekharpur.At several cafés, screens were put up outdoors to accommodate the crowd of supporters who had no space indoors. As the final moment came, firecrackers burst across the twin cities.Local eateries said that the turnout surpassed expectations. “We had to add extra chairs. People didn’t want to miss a moment of this crucial match,” said Akshit Jena, the manager of a popular café in Chandrasekharpur.With India now entering the semi-final, fan groups in the twin cities have already started planning larger public screenings for the next knockout clash, hoping the campaign ends with the cup returning home.“It was a tremendous match. Sanju (Samson) was absolutely brilliant. In the beginning, we were a little nervous as West Indies batsmen played well, but the Indian bowlers came back well later. The batting was also phenomenal,” Barsha Priyadarshini, a resident of Nayapalli, said.
