Meerut: Half-a-dozen villages, located on the periphery of Meerut, the cricket equipment manufacturing hub of India, are busy churning out lakhs of red and white cricket balls on an annual basis, but the World Cup is a different game altogether. "There is no dearth of work here as such. However, there is more demand during the World Cup and we have to cater to that to maintain our goodwill," said Sorem Devi, 60, a resident of Sarai Qazi village. She manages to stitch 7-8 balls daily, making Rs 25 per ball. Shes not alone in this vocation. Men are employed in the factories that make other gear, but women and young girls are busy stitching cricket balls at home."The entire village is involved. During the World Cup there is a spurt in demand for these balls, at least 20% if India plays well," added Seema, 35, who can stitch 10 balls in a day.Rajesh Mittal runs a kaarkhana that provides work to these families. He collects the stitched balls, colours them and then packages them to be sent to the clients who give further orders. We provide the raw materials, such as processed and evenly cut leather and also the thread used for stitching. The women have their own implements, said Mittal. Echoing similar sentiments, another villager, Bimla Devi, 45, said, The World Cup fever is here. Now that the monsoon season is almost over and winter is about to arrive, business will pick up anyway. The cricket World Cup with India as host is only the icing on the cake." Paras Anand, director of SG Sports, makers of the renowned bats, is also optimistic. Anand said, People in India are deeply connected to cricket. If India plays well, we will certainly see a 15% rise in the demand across the country.While the offline sales are yet to kick in, the cricket fever is gradually taking over. On Sunday, the fact that India beat Australia by six wickets, had a considerable impact. "In just one day we experienced a 25% rise in online sales," said Ramandeep Singh, director of Heega Sports.We also published the following articles recentlyCricket bats for leather balls: Best picks for playersChoosing the right cricket bat for leather balls is crucial for players to boost their performance. The article explores various options, including traditional willow bats and innovative designs, that cater to different playing styles and preferences. Some of the recommended bats for leather balls include SG Sierra Plus Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat, Kookaburra Adult Cricket Bat, DSC Belter Wood Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat, SG Max Cover Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat, SS Master 100 KW Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat, GM Noir 202 Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat, SG Phoenix Xtreme Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat, and DSC Intense Crush Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat.Cricket World Cup 2023: Bumble launches Cricket Fan badge in IndiaBumble has introduced a limited edition Cricket Fan badge in India for the month of October, allowing users to express their love for cricket and potentially connect with others over matches. A recent study by Bumble found that the majority of Indians surveyed believe cricket matches are perfect for dates and actively search for partners with an interest in sports. Bumble has also updated its Community Guidelines, including banning artificial influence, prohibiting personal information sharing, and cracking down on adult content. The company blocked over 8.2 million accounts in 2023 for violating these guidelines.World Cup nostalgia: Netherlands cricketers emotional journey to IndiaThree cricketers from the Netherlands, Teja Nidamanuru, Aryan Dutt, and Vikram Singh, are excited to play in the World Cup in India as it holds sentimental value for them. Teja, who was born in Vijayawada, is looking forward to playing in Hyderabad in front of his family. Vikram plans to visit his relatives in Jalandhar during the teams break in Dharamsala. These players have not forgotten their roots and cherish the opportunity to represent the Netherlands in the World Cup.

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