MUMBAI, April 1 � The stage is ready and Dhoni�s Men in Blue are ready to stop the roar of Sri Lankan lion�s at Wankhede stadium here tomorrow with the whole city soaked in cricket euphoria.
After a fine win against traditional rival Pakistan in the semifinal at Chandigarh, Dhoni�s team is ready to finish their job in clinical fashion to bring back the memories of 1983 World Cup triumph. Dhoni�s men are also equally determined to capture the trophy and present it to master blaster Sachin Tendulkar. Winning the World Cup has been a lifelong dream for Sachin. He wants it desperately because that�s the only thing missing from his array of exploits. If the hundredth ton comes along with it, it would be the icing on the cake.
�It�s the most important tournament in my life,� he had said just before the tricky quarterfinal against Australia; they were the magic words that made his mates in the team wake up to the possibility of a day without him. Since then, Team India has been a transformed side.
On the otherhand, Sri Lankan captain Kumara Sangakkara has come here with a mission to repeat the 1996 World Cup triumph and also give a fitting farewell to their finest cricketer Muthiah Muralitharan.
On the security front, Joint Commissioner of Police, Himanshu Roy said, �We are checking the antecedents of foreigners who have bought tickets.�
A 3-tier security arrangement comprising 3,000 security personnel will guard the venue. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel will frisk spectators entering the ground while the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) will guard the periphery. Five companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) will be deployed as well. All security personnel incharge of stadium security and ground staff will be issued biometric identity cards.
National Security Guards men along with the Quick Response Team commandos and the State�s elite Force One team will be on guard to avert any possible terror attack.
One team of the National Disaster Response Force will be on stand-by. Besides, Airforce, Navy and Marine Commandos will be on stand-by. Though the security is foolproof, every one from the business hub of India is trying to get a ticket to witness the final.
So, cricket fans are willing to shell out Rs 1.25 lakh for a ticket in the West Avenue stand, the actual price of which is Rs 37,500. Black marketers are making huge profits by selling tickets for a seat inside the Wankhede Stadium for Saturday. The selling price is nearly 10 times the actual price. Fans insist that the tickets are worth their weight in gold.
Prices in the black market shot up dramatically on Wednesday night when India defeated Pakistan in the semifinal at Mohali. But everyone is ready to witness a gruelling final.
