10 things a cricket fan must know while attending an IPL match

IPL 2024 is exciting , especially to watch in the stadium. Don’t we all fans of cricket and the IPL madness crave to enjoy the match live and watch our favourite players hit the ball and take wickets like no body’s business. Hyderabad’s Uppal stadium (Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium) is going to be ‘The Destination’ for fun and frenzy and a lot of celebrity spotting for the next few days to come. Here are 10 things an IPL fans must know before heading for that exciting match.

Summer Guide for IPL 2024 – 

1. First and foremost, make sure you wear cool cotton clothes and carry a lot of tissues (stuffed into your pockets). You will be sweating like a pig, and more in the stadium even if it is a night match and you will need all the tissues that you can manage taking.
2. We said stuff the tissues it in your pockets, not bag mind you…because you are not allowed to take a bag along, a small ladies purse may be an exception, but try not to take any chances. Do not take any bags.
3. If you are carrying a mobile, which you will (how else will you take all those mandatory selfies), keep it in switched off mode as you enter the queue and switch it on when the security guy says so. Don’t ask why – It’s for security reasons…whatever!
4. You will be checked by random people before being again checked by a couple of security personnel after passing through the scanner. Again for security reasons!
5. You cannot take water into the stadium – again for security reasons.
6.  Wear your comfortable sneakers, chances are you will be made to walk over a kilometre from the parking to reach the gate that may take you up the stairs – two or three – depending upon the kind of ticket you have – quite a walk indeed – you will be rejuvenated and all ready to take on the opposite team, if need be…but you would have already spent gallons of sweat before that.
7. You will obviously be thirsty and the last sip of water you frantically take before throwing that bottle to be allowed inside – is hardly any help. Be ready to buy water at Rs10 per glass (warm and nice mind you), you are better off with a glass of coke and a lot of ice at Rs20 or more. Word of caution – be prepared to spend on hydration but stay hydrated.
8. Try having a hearty meal or a heavy snack before heading for the match. Otherwise, you will end up eating random stuff for blown up prizes. (The already doubled rates are further enhanced by the boys walking around selling the food and cool drinks who add their unofficial commission – Get it?).
9. Wear a nice perfume or deodorant, for – you will be walking up the weirdest of paths to reach your destination gate; except for a lucky few ones who may have a royal front door entry) and you will need all good aromas hanging around you while you traverse this not so good path.
10. While at the IPL 2024 match – learn all manners – like you must and surely must shout at the sound of the beagle, you must cheer for the home team each time and every moment, even if it is the bowler changing sides at the end of the over, carry flags, wear the jersey, hold the placards and play the part of a ‘Sunrisers’ fan to the hilt.