Cricket fans throng to get a picture with the coveted trophy
Pune: The cricket World Cup is truly upon us. Cricket fans in Pune thronged the streets to catch a glimpse of the coveted World Cup trophy during a monumental rally here on Tuesday. The World Cup trophy is currently on a tour of the country and was in Pune for a day.
“We (MCA officials) could’ve taken pictures with the World Cup trophy in some private ceremony. But this World Cup belongs to cricket fans, the people of Maharashtra. We want to give fans an opportunity to see what the original World Cup trophy looks like. We wish they get an opportunity to take pictures with the trophy,” the MCA president Rohit Pawar said during the press conference before the rally.
“MCA is the only state organisation to host such a grand rally of the World Cup trophy. No other state organisation is doing such grand procession,” he added.
The rally started from the JW Marriott Hotel and reached the Agricultural College via SB Road, BMCC Road and Ferguson College Road. The jubilant crowd cheered the trophy and gave slogans, ‘Jeetega Bhai Jeetega, India Jeetega’ ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Ganpati Bappa Moraya’. The traditional Dhol-Tasha bands greeted the open-top bus carrying the World Cup trophy all along, and even passing showers did not deter fans and bands.
At the agricultural college, where the trophy was on display for the fans, the MCA president thanked the fans for turning out in huge numbers and for their love & support.
Earlier, the World Cup trophy was unveiled at the MCA International Stadium in Gahunje in the presence of MCA office bearers, students of RMD Group, Chinchwad, Maharashtra’s U-19 teams (boys and girls), Maharashtra players Tejal Hasabnis and Kiran Navgire. India international Kedar Jadhav and former India captain Chandu Borde were present during the rally.
Also present at the event were members of the MCA apex council – Secretary Shubhendra Bhandarkar, joint-secretary Santosh Bobade, treasurer Sanjay Bajaj, Vinayak Dravid, Advocate Ajay Deshmukh, Ranjit Khirid, Kalpana Tapikar, Kamlesh Pisal, Sunil Mutha, Raju Kane, Sachin Mulye, Suhas Patwardhan, Sushil Shewale and Keshav Vaze.
