Over. Over. Wicket.

That's right, CRICKET!

Last weekend, I successfully attended my first cricket match, as my first attempt failed due to the torrential downpours that Bangalore has been receiving. The game featured my new found home team- the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against the Pune Warriors. Best Part, RCB took home the WIN!

I am happy to report that along with the rest of India, I am a cricket fan. Cricket matches can range from 4 hours to 5 days so I suppose I should say I am a four hour cricket match fan. The stadium was packed with people and actually resembled an American baseball stadium holding thousands and thousands of people. It was such an energetic, colorful, and exciting environment.

I am basically a pro at understanding the cricket game now, so let me give a quick run down. For a four hour game, each team will bat once and field once. Each "inning" has 20 overs, in an over is 6 bowls (pitches). So, each team will receive 120 pitches to score as many points as they can.

In the middle of the field there is a strip of dirt where the batters will receive their bowls. There are two batters at a time and two pitchers at a time. Each pitcher will bowl one over, alternating back and forth. The batter that is pitched the ball will try to hit the ball into the "outfield" which could potentially give their team 4 or 6 points depending on where the ball reaches, or if the batter does not reach "outfield" they have the opportunity to run across the dirt strip to the other end, which would count as 1 point per run. (Typically 1 to 2 points depending on how long the field team takes to recover the ball)

As the batters change positions after they complete a run, whoever is across from the current pitcher in the over will bat. The batters will continue to bat until the field team gets a batter "out" or completes a wicket. There are a few ways to get out, which I won't get into because I think you grasp the concept. Technically, a batter could bat the whole game if they never get out. Usually, the stronger batters are first, and the team will get through 4-5 batters in their inning. Clear as mud right?

The RCB team is actually doing really well this season, so I really enjoyed watching them play. A few of the players were even on the India Team that just one the World cup, including my future husband, Virat Kohli. I have my first Indian crush and he is a well paid athlete. Duh. Apparently Indian cricket players are the third highest paid athletes in the world following American basketball and American golf. After my marriage to Virat, I will be well on my way to being an Indian princess.

I think I might just be a cricket fan for life. I sure hope the pubs in Minneapolis, let me watch the Indian league next summer! At least the World Cup. Fingers crossed.