World cup ushers in happy hours in Hyderabad

World cup fever brings Hyderabadis together. Not only shopping complexes and Irani hotels, but also community halls are bustling with cricket lovers all over Hyderabad. World cup fever hit government offices and also corporate offices today as India took on Australia in the semi finals match.

Cricket fever stuck not only employees, and students, but traders, bankers, and municipal workers too in the state capital who were glued to the TV monitors as the Cricket demigods danced to high profile game in the stadium. The craze reached a fever's pitch as students, employees gave their routine a miss to watch the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 semifinal match between India and Australia.

Schools, colleges, hostels, Irani chai shops, bangle stores, subzi mandis, Coffee shops all have turned into auditoriums for this match. As many as 34% of 6,000 office goers surveyed nationwide said they would call in sick while 2% said they planned to go to the extent of saying their houses have been burgled. Secretariat reported a 41% absent rate and many even went on casual leave ahead of Ramanavami festival.

Even domestic servants skipped their noon work and saying they would attend only if a cricket match is played at the workplace. "I told my house owners that I will not come after 10 if the world cup is not tuned in," said Ramulamma, a domestic help in Chikkadapally.

Several bars and restaurants have set up huge LED screens for their customers to catch the action live on the big screen. Several bars in the city are offering happy hour drinks during the match. Some Irani shops in Red hills and Begam bazar offered Osmania biscuits free for half an hour along with tea for visitors to their shops' TV room during the match.

Hyderabadis say that true celebrations would have been felt if and when Pakistan and India were locked up in the finals. Unfortunately Pakistan was eliminated in the quarter final level itself leaving the field open and free, smooth for India.