(Transcript from World News Radio)
Despite their team being reigning champions, a large group of Indian Australians don't expect to be celebrating back-to-back Cricket World Cup titles.
But whatever the outcome, members of the India Sports Club will closely follow the game they love so much.
They says the six week tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand is a chance to bring the Indian community closer and share their national culture.
Attila Mosonyi reports.
The start of this weekend's World Cup can't come quick enough for Indian cricket fans.
The game's huge popularity across the world's second most populous nation is well-documented.
Vishnu Sarpekash from the India Sports Club says cricket is seen as a birthright back in his homeland.
"It's something that you are born with, it's in your blood. From childhood it's in your blood and I think it's just something that unites everybody gives us an opportunity to express ourselves as individuals and play as a team as a community. it's just a great sport to be involved with."
On recent form, Indian cricket fans are not exactly confident their team can defend its 20-11 world cup title.
But Vishnu says the India Sports Club is determined use the tournament as a celebration and promotion of everything India.
"Being Indian, everyone loves cricket so it's a great attraction for everyone to get involved. Everything to celebrate about the culture is celebrated as if we are India.
The vast majority of the more the 300 members of the club are Indians.
But President Raj Natarajan says says when it comes to membership the club is keen to embrace many different cultures from all around the world.
"As Australian society we simply reflect Australia's multicultural society. In fact, there are a lot of people from various ethnic backgrounds, lot of people of Afghanistan background, for example, play in our club, Asian background, Lebanese background and of course white Australians. We don't want to even know where people come from as long as they love their sport and want to play their sport in the right spirit."
Sports Club members say they will be keeping a close eye on all 49 World Cup matches.
Secretary Nandu Gandal is hoping India can secure its third Word Cup crown.
But he is not optimistic about his team's chances.
"We always support Australia, unless it's against India. But I don't fancy India's chances this time. In the One Day games anything can happen, India is the current holder of the World Cup, but no, I won't call them favourites that's for sure."
President Raj Natarajan would also like to see an Indian victory over Australia in the final.
"I'll be supporting India. The reason - I follow the Australian psyche of supporting the underdogs. So in this case India is the underdog, we obviously want Australia and India to meet in the final and may th best team win."
India will begin its World Cup campaign against arch rival Pakistan on Sunday in Adelaide.
Share
