Sad, But True: The brand new Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua is ready for the World Cups Super Eight stages, but will sorely miss Team Indias colourful bandwagon of fans PIC/SURESH K K
ST JOHNS (Antigua): Its a disaster, muttered Antigua Cricket Association president Epoch Lewis.
India is not the only country mourning at its teams World Cup defeat. The repercussions of Indias exit are being felt in Antigua as well.
Praying for India
I was not hoping, I was praying India will qualify and come to Antigua to play. I will be supporting West Indies, but you want to see teams like India and Pakistan play.
Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid are not only Indias stars, they are world stars. That is what people come to see, said Lewis, the former Antigua captain.
Its the atmosphere the Indian cricket team creates which will be missed now.
India brings along with it a huge media contingent and a lot of fans.
Their absence will affect a lot of things. The hotel bookings, the ticket sales, the business of restaurants, vendors, taxis all will be affected now, said Lewis who is a banker by profession.
The Super Eight has lost a lot of its sheen following the first round exit of subcontinental heavyweights.
John Maginley, Antigua and Berbudas minister of health, who has additional responsibility of helping to organise the World Cup, is equally disappointed.
Its terrible, (for the tournament) Maginley told MiD DAY.
Their players are international stars. We were praying they would qualify. Its also about TV viewership.
If India had come, billions of people would have made it to Antigua. Now, who will come here, said Maginley.
Sachin was crucial
Lewis felt Tendulkars loss of form sounded Indias death knell at the World Cup.
He fell flat and the team collapsed. People here love Tendulkar. We dont know what happened to him.
Tourism is the main source of revenue for Antigua. The Caribbean countries have pumped in a lot of money in preparation for the World Cup to use the event as a tool to promote their tourism industry.
And, India being the corporate favourites of the Cup, their exit at this early stage is seen as a big blow in that aim.
| 
