The Paradise Persis in Hyderabad is a monster restaurant on four floors that sells the best Biryani you'll ever taste – and everybody in the city knows it. But last night, it was virtually empty, and so were lots of popular places.
The whole country, a billion or so people, was gathered around television sets watching the World Cup semi-final cricket match with Pakistan, its arch-rival in so many ways. Cricket is a lengthy affair: the game started at 2:30 p.m. and ended eight hours later, but the frenzy started days ago. The papers were full of sports commentators and celebs weighing in on the teams' chances; the private jets of India's millionaires jostled for space on the tarmac at Chandigarh airport; lackeys called in sick and execs looked the other way; the presidents of India and Pakistan engaged in some informal "cricket diplomacy" during the match, which they watched together. In the end, India won 260/9 to 231, a 29 run margin. "Thanks Team India for bringing a billion of us so much happiness and unity tonight" wrote an on-line correspondent on one of a dozen TV channels obsessing over the match in every language. Fireworks boomed out seconds after the final, and the joy on the street can still be heard in our hotel room 6 floors up, hours later. It's only a game, but when a billion people play, you can't take your eyes off it.
