Excited Indian Fans Stream Into World's Biggest Cricket Stadium

Excited fans in Indian face paints streamed into the brand new world's biggest cricket stadium on Wednesday for what promises to be one of the biggest sporting spectacles since the pandemic. The f

Foreign tourists are still banned from visiting India because of coronavirus, with members of the Indian diaspora travelling from Britain facing tougher checks than many others because of the new strain there.

Kohli and Rohit Sharma jerseys remained hot picks with hawkers outside the stadium selling them for about $3. The tri-colour and face paints were added attractions.

The ground was renamed Narendra Modi Stadium from the earlier Sardar Patel Stadium just before the start to honour the Indian prime minister who initiated the idea to reconstruct the old venue.

President Ramnath Kovind and Home Minister Amit Shah, who was former chief of the state cricket association in Gujarat, performed a Hindu blessing to inaugurate the venue.

But it was the fans who made the occasion special as they stood up to sing the national anthem and then cheered the home players after England elected to bat first.