The Buzz

A taste for cricket

There has been tremendous security build-up in Mohali ahead of the World Cup semi-final clash between India and Pakistan with the army, the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG) all out in full force

Akhila Ranganna
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
There has been tremendous security build-up in Mohali ahead of the World Cup semi-final clash between India and Pakistan with the army, the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG) all out in full force. Most have got the bum jobs – standing in the heat, dealing with angry fans - but two of them have landed the jackpot, working as the official food tasters for the Indian and Pakistani cricketers. Assistant sub-inspector Rakesh Rasella and sub-inspector Ramphal have been eating three meals a day - featuring Schezwan, India and international cuisine - at the Taj hotel in Chandigarh, where the teams are staying, to check for poisoning or other hygiene problems. "I have tasted more than 18 different dishes before they were consumed by cricketers and I hadn't eaten many of them ever (before)," Rasella told the Times of India. Looks like it could be more than the cricketers and fans who leave Mohali sated.

Akhila Ranganna is assistant editor (Audio) at ESPNcricinfo