Nobody likes to cheer alone, especially when India is playing Pakistan on the cricket pitch.
With the traditional rivals up against each other in the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy in London on Sunday, bars and restaurants here have also honed their pitch to attract cricket enthusiasts waiting to make the most of the event.
Giant screens, happy hours and a free drink if you predict the match right or walk in wearing the Indian jersey are some of the offers being rolled out.
Going by wickets
Piali - The Curry Bistro in Connaught Place, for instance, is set to make the best of the country’s cricket fandom with a range of offers with its discount code ‘BLEEDBLUE’.
For every wicket that India takes, the restaurant will offer an incremental discount of 5%, with a maximum 20% rebate.
“We have decided to reward Indians for every wicket taken by our team. You can order anything after a wicket and it will be discounted at 5%, subsequently after the second wicket 10%, which will continue up to 20%,” said bistro owner Siddharth Agarwal.
Leela Ambience Convention Hotel has decided to introduce unlimited packages named after cricketers for four hours of the match at their Cherry Bar. ‘Kohli’s 11’ will have unlimited imported drinks and unlimited snacks at ₹3,000 and ‘Steve’s 11’ will consist of unlimited IMFL and unlimited snacks at ₹2,500.
“Stay glued to your seats until the final moments and don’t let this ‘mauka’ go as the rivalry between India and Pakistan continues at none other than our popular Cherry Bar,” says Rahul Gautam, associate director, food and beverage, at the hotel.
Added bonus
For travel enthusiast Shashank Sharma, going to a sports bar for a match ensures that he can have a date with his girlfriend while not having to miss out on the cricketing action.
“What I like about going to sports clubs is that during a match, I don’t want to cook or get food myself. At a sports club, you can concentrate only on the match and the rest will be taken care of,” he said.
In an interesting offer, anybody who walks into Lanterns Kitchen and Bar in Rajendra Place wearing the Indian cricket team’s jersey will be offered a free mug of beer.