Luck favored Deepu Ojha, a Kohda village resident in Bihar's Arrah district, as he clinched a whopping 1.5 crore rupees while playing IPL fantasy gaming during the intense KKR vs RCB match. Ojha, a car mechanic who left school in the 8th grade, found himself in a stroke of fortune after selecting Andre Russell as his team captain on the gaming app.
Despite admitting to having minimal cricket knowledge, Ojha decided on his team spontaneously. "I felt very good. I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a fraud and that no money ever comes from such apps," shared Ojha with PTI. He further revealed, "I have been playing fantasy gaming for the last six months. On Sunday, I had no work and made the team. I saw it was a match between KKR and RCB."
As for his plans with the windfall, Ojha remains undecided.
Coinciding with Ojha's fortunate turn, the KKR vs RCB match witnessed a nail-biting finish as KKR secured victory by a mere one-run margin. The game gained attention for a controversial moment involving a full toss dismissal of Virat Kohli. The delivery, bowled by KKR's Harshit Rana, underwent scrutiny for its height using Hawk-Eye technology, with TV umpire Michael Gough ruling it fair. Kohli, known for his aggressive batting, departed after scoring 18 runs off seven balls.
This incident evokes memories of Shahabuddin Mansuri, a driver from Madhya Pradesh's Barwani district, who struck gold with a mere investment of Rs 49 in an online gaming app during a match between Kolkata and Punjab in 2023. Similarly, Somnath Jhende, a sub-inspector with Pune Police, soared to millionaire status in 2023 after winning Rs 1.5 crore on the online game Dream11. However, Jhende's elation was short-lived as he faced suspension from duty by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police for alleged misconduct, casting a shadow over his victory.