Amul India celebrated the viral 87-year-old cricket enthusiast, Charulata Patel, who became an overnight sensation after she was seen cheering for India against its clash with Bangladesh on Tuesday in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
In the ad, Patel’s caricature is grouped with children, all of them rooting for India. The caption is titled “Grandmother India”.
“#Amul Topical: 87-year-old Super Fan cheering Indian cricket team makes social media waves! #INDvsBAN,” Amul.coop tweeted.
In the match between India and Bangladesh, Patel instantly grabbed the attention as she sat in her wheelchair blowing a vuvuzela.
Her enthusiasm was greatly appreciated by Indian skipper Virat Kohli and batsman Rohit Sharma.
“Also would like to thank all our fans for all the love & support & especially Charulata Patel ji. She’s 87 and probably one of the most passionate & dedicated fans I’ve ever seen. Age is just a number, the passion takes you leaps & bounds. With her blessings, on to the next one,” Kohli had posted on his social media handles.
“Mrs Charulata Ji was the woman of the match for me. Incredible to meet someone with such a lively spirit,” Sharma wrote on his Twitter handle.
“I am a very religious person and have so much trust in God. So, when I pray, it comes true and I am saying that India is going to get the World Cup, definitely,” Patel told ANI during the India-Bangladesh match.
Patel also stated that she was there in the stadium when India lifted their first World Cup, back in 1983, under the leadership of former cricket legend, Kapil Dev.
“I have been there. When they won the World Cup, I was so proud, I started dancing. And today also, I told my granddaughter that when India is going to defeat Bangladesh, I am going to dance,” she said.
Patel revealed that she has been watching the game for decades.
“I have been watching cricket for decades. When I was in Africa, I used to watch it, and then I came to this country in 1975. Here I had work because of which I did not get time to watch but I used to watch it on TV. But nowadays as I am not working, so I have the interest and I am very lucky that I get a chance to watch cricket,” she said.
India defeated Bangladesh by 28 runs on Tuesday and as a result, the side progressed to the semi-finals of the tournament.
The team currently holds the second spot on the points with 13 points from eight matches.
The Men in Blue have only lost one match in the tournament so far when they were beaten by England on Sunday by 31 runs at Edgbaston.
Here is Amul India’s ad:
#Amul Topical: 87 year old Super Fan cheering Indian cricket team makes social media waves! #INDvsBAN pic.twitter.com/5BbI8y8YHV
— Amul.coop (@Amul_Coop) July 3, 2019