When the ICC decided to organise limited overs World Cup in 1975, Charulata Patel was 43 years old. She didn't understand much about the game but supported her home team with other family members.
Spring forward to 2019, with Team India playing under Virat Kohli's leadership.
Charulata again turned up to the stadium in Birmingham to cheer Team India with her family members.
But, not as a 43-year-old lady - she is now 87, the oldest fan to cheer India on in the match against Bangladesh at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on Tuesday.
Ms Patel, originally from Gujarat, caught everyone's attention when she was blowing the whistle and boosting Team India’s moral against Bangladesh.
Source: Amit Shah/supplied
When ‘Hit Man' Rohit Sharma was hammering the Bangladeshi bowlers to every corner of the ground, she was seen dancing at the stands with other fans.
After the end of the match, Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Man of the Match Rohit Sharma specially came to meet her.
“She blessed them and asked them to promise that the Indian team will not go empty-handed to India,” a family member told reporters covering their conversation.
In a tweet, Virat Kohli mentioned her enthusiasm: ”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; passion takes you leaps & bounds. With her blessings, on to the next one.”
Charulata Patel admits she doesn’t understand the basic rules of cricket, but she knows Indian cricket stars like Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
“She saw one lady of the same age as her meet MS Dhoni in Wankhede stadium after Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings match," said one family member.
"She was inspired by that incident and came to watch the game. She had a knee problem and can’t walk properly. She came in a wheelchair, but her excitement about the game was like a young cricket fan.”
Former Test cricketers such as Sourav Ganguly, Michel Vaughan, Virender Sehwag have also previously saluted the enthusiasm of the oldest fan.
Source: Amit Shah/supplied
Kohli and Rohit’s meeting with Charulata shows that these flamboyant cricketers respect Indian traditions and respect their elderly fans.
Charulata Patel says she will be the happiest women on 14th July when Virat and his boys repeat the history of 1983 World Cup and lift the trophy once again at historic Lord’s balcony.
Rohit gifted autographed cap to injured fan
Indian opener Rohit Sharma is in a great form and scored his fourth century of the tournament on Tuesday. During his ton, he hit five sixes; one the powerful shots, however, injured a fan sitting in the stands.
When Rohit came to know about fan’s injury, he met her after the game and gifted her a signed hat.
