Lucknow, April 1
The World Cup final fever has derailed normal life and put rational thinking in pause mode.

If one is expecting to get his gas cylinder filled and phone fixed, one may have to wait till Monday as life has come to a standstill in anticipation of tomorrow’s action. The traders of the recently refurbished shopping district of Hazratganj have put a large floral replica of the World Cup on display. It has become the meeting point of World cup enthusiasts in the city.

Special prayers were held in several city mosques after the Friday prayers for the Indian cricket team. ‘Shyama’ a fortune telling sparrow of Allahabad has already predicted an Indian win in the final. The bird had predicted Pakistan’s defeat in the semifinals and, interestingly, even Spain’s victory in the World Cup final.

Shots of the sparrow picking an envelope mentioning India was repeatedly telecast on a local channel. In a special curtain raiser programme, the bird was the special guest at the channel’s studio, along with its owner.

A prominent restaurant in Lucknow announced to give a five percent discount to customers coming to view the match on a large LCD television in a blue jersey. It has also promised exciting offers on tattoos, nail art, face paint and tricolor bangles that will be offered at the restaurant on the D-day.