It is here that Sachin Tendulkar will play his last Ranji Trophy match before his last international series against the West Indies. Sachin will take his final bow at the Wankhede on Nov 14.
Each of the enthusiasts in Lahli carried a Sachin poster. There is such a rush for posters that the only shop which sells them, in neighbouring Kalanaur village about 12 km from the stadium, has run out of stock in no time. The shop's owner Vikram has had to place an order with wholesale dealers in Jhajjar and Delhi.
Clearly, the craze over Sachin's last match has turned this village of 'pehelwans' into cricket fans.
While the wrestlers - who usually dream of Olympic medals following Haryana's dream run in international events - prepare to watch Sachin, halwais have made plans to distribute free laddus and matthis for every milestone Sachin may touch here.
Though the Mumbai team is expected to arrive late on Friday evening to take on Haryana, Lahli is already ready to welcome the maestro and savour every moment. Over the past week, the dour walls of the stadium have come alive as artists paint Sachin graffitti on them.
"We grew up watching Sachin bat. His first Test hundred at Old Trafford is fresh in our memories. We want him to repeat the same magic in Lahli this Sunday," said Sudeep Mangu (40), a real-estate dealer in Lahli.
The excitement is heightened by the announcements of freebies by traders and shop-owners. "My samosas are famous beyond Lahli. If Sachin scores a century here, I will give away 1,000 samosas to the villagers," said Radhe Shyam, who runs a samosa corner in Lahli.
Similarly, Ram Goswamy, owner of Batra Sweet Shop in neighbouring Kalanaur village, has promised to offer free matthis, a traditional sweet, on all four days of the match.
Meanwhile, the pehelwans have decided to stay away from their akhadas and be right there at the stadium to get a glimpse of Sachin.
"Haryana is known for its wrestlers and boxers. We follow a strict training regime. But this time, Sachin is coming to our village. I have been busy training and have never watched a cricket match. This time, I will do it for Sachin. I will be at the stadium to cheer him," said Ravi Sharma, a state-level wrestler from Lahli.
"We will pray for yet another stupendous performance from Sachin. We are even willing to skip our practice sessions to watch him," said another wrestler, Ashish Kumar.
"We have been travelling all the way to Mohali and Delhi to watch Sachin bat. Now, the great batsman is playing in our village, which is a godsend. It's so hard to believe he will be here. Though my eyesight is a tad weak now, I will certainly be there at the stadium," said Mahinder Singh, a retired school teacher.
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