NOT FOR SOFT HEARTS

I very clearly remember those days of Indian cricket when I and dad used to watch the matches with a lot of interest and passion. There used to be meal time discussions on the teams and matches. I cannot forget the 1996 semi final against Sri Lanka, when not only India lost miserably, but I nearly flung my social studies matriculation exam the next day. And I would like to forget all those matches of India which some great cricketers had fixed against the sentiments of millions of Indians who just eat cricket, drink cricket and sleep cricket. I and a lot of people like me had lost interest in the Indian Cricket after that. The lost hope and interest of a lot of Indians like me was rekindled by the Dhoni brigade in Twenty 20 World Championship. My love for cricket rejuvenated with the phoenix like rise of Indian Cricket in last 5 months. We were out of the 50-50 World cup, humiliated by a defeat at hands of minnows, and one would have started thinking Indian Cricket will face the event less fate of Indian Hockey.

What got the team so motivated, was it the lack of proper coach, or lack of superstars in the side or was it the bollywood flick “Chakde India”. Whatever was it, the young team looked like playing with courage and finesse. One could see the hunger and passion for playing as a unit, for winning, for taking tough catches and for sticking to their plan. I think Dhoni did what SRK did to women hockey team in the movie. All the sectors of game, batting fielding, and bowling were put on test in four big matches against England, SA, Australia, and Pakistan, and it was at the end the game of wits, the game of nerves which really tested the true character of the Indian team.

And what a befitting final. It was a treat for all the spectators around the world. What more can one think of for a cricket world cup final. It is as good a wish as if a teenage boy wishes to plan a blind date on the top of a hill overlooking a valley on a moonlit night and his date turns out to be the most beautiful girl on the earth for him. The final of the world cup could not have been better in the sense of teams playing it; in the sense of what a clincher it was and in the sense of what it gave to the shorter version of the game.

I was watching the match with a bunch of friends at our “should-be-quiet” flat in a quiet Singapore locality and when Misbah hit Joginder for a slice over leg and the camera showed the ball in air but with no fielder in the frame, I am sure everyone’s heart in the room would have stopped for a micro-second, but the historic moment after that could be heard by the whole of Singapore out of our vocal cords for the next few moments.

I asked my friend to pinch me to make me believe what I witnessed was indeed true. We had won a clincher, and what a spectacle was it to see the young guns of India celebrating on the field.

I think this is what the gift of T20 cricket to the world. As Harsha Bhogle said “The tournament was in infant stage at the start” and I think this ending could not have given much better start to the new face of the limited over`s cricket. It had been discussed and written a lot that T20 was slogger`s game and I think the critics of the version got it straight with the Indians bowling out the oppositions beautifully in last 3 matches. The world cup final saw a jam packed stadium in the Wanderers, and anything going forward would only get better. This version of the game can also cannibalise the 50-50 limited overs cricket as happened to 60 overs cricket. And If I am not expecting more, I think this T20 cricket can soon gain the highest viewership across the world, even more than soccer, once a few European teams get into this. The reasons are very crisp - Short game, good hitting, anxious moments and nail-biting finishes.

But for the moment, the feeling of being the world champions is taking me more than anything else. For the last 20 hours we have been talking this and discussing about the match and the life it has given to the aspirations of young sportsmen of the country. These are the moments when every Indian abroad misses India and the festivities which start due to this. I would like to thank the whole team for making all of us so proud. The whole world is celebrating, and it is always quite a big task to make 1/5 of the world population happy. I think the Dhoni`s brigade was successful in doing this, and I wish them luck to always play like they did in this tournament.