(How often have I missed blogging out my thoughts on moments of emotional high ? Moments when there is so much to say in its pristine best,but which soon passes by into memory lanes. Tonite is different.)
TONITE WE HAVE BEEN CROWNED THE WORLD CHAMPIONS.
And in a nation where cricket is a religion,world champions matters in only that context.
Yes, its been a long wait. and for many young indians like me,who have grown up eating,sleeping and drinking cricket,its a first in lifetime occasion of watching our men lift the coveted trophy.
It is truly historic.
We have grown up watching the picture of Kapil Dev lifting the trophy in 1983 and few videos from lords that make us wonder about the nature of game in bygone era.It is not the way we have grown up seeing cricket in its marketable version!
Cup after cup,we hoped but ended up with disappointment.
Not this time around.
Loaded with expectations(as always),playing on home turf (advantage or pressure?)and a talented bunch of committed cricketers - the stakes were high again!!
This may be the age of overdose of cricket with number of tours and cups,the 20-20 world cup and the IPL,but at the end of the day,its the conventional one day formats world cup that counts.The game itself may be limited to 14 odd nations on the globe and we may have won the cup of the latest T20 avatar,but the world cup has its own charm and aura!.It is tough to describe the feeling of inching closer to victory and then clinching it with elan..probably it hasn't yet sunk in!!
Yes,I wanted the team to clinch it but would admit having my share of apprehensions.I was having my share of ideas that something might go wrong and spoil our party.The worth of the Srilankans in the subcontinental game can never be discounted too.But down deep in heart,like every other indian,I was hoping that we do it this time.
And like every one else,I wanted it for Sachin Tendulkar -- the person who has carried billions of expectations for decades every time he walks into the field,the person whose passion for the game has gifted him with consistency to script all record books,the person whose modesty and down to earth simplicity makes him an affable icon -- was playing in his sixth and last world cup. It is this trophy that had eluded him. Whether I wanted Indian team to win for him or for the nation is immaterial as he very much symbolises the Indian cricket itself.As a perfect script,I was expecting him to score his 100th international ton and win it for india at Wankhede. He fumbled (reminding us that he is a human being after all). My hopes sank (direct proportionality has been the trademark). But like a winning "team",others rose to the occasion to recreate history.Different members have performed at different occasions in the tournament,making it a truly team effort.
Dhoni and his "men in blue" are the champions of our generation,of a game(the format and style)we have grown up : watching,discussing endlessly,nibbling in the backyards,innovating upon - from foil made balls cricket with lunch boxes to cosco ball cricket on lanes,roads and basket ball courts,strategising moves,critcizing selections,being experts on every field-bowling change and loving every moment of it as a passion.
(watched it on giant screen in audi,loved the emotions at the end,those smiles esp. sachin's(a little biased me!)with the cup,called up bro.after win to share the excitement for the game has been a strong part of our growing up together memory...more on that soon!!)
