And so it begins! World Cup 2011, the 10th edition of one-day cricket's showpiece event is underway. More importantly, we are the hosts this time, after a gap of 15 years. Yet somehow, the buzz is still not deafening. The lunch conversations still haunt around GBM tamashas and the new Akshay Kumar movie, not to forget how the semester is screwing us and PAF. Sachin's form and fitness is yet to give us sleepless nights!
This world cup is special in more than one way. Indian team, going from strength to strength in the last 6 years, stands a realistic chance of bringing the actual world cup (it was the Prudential cup last time around) home. The friendly home conditions cannot be anymore assuring for Dhoni and his lads. In order to sound cautious, I would say India stand a good chance of winning this World Cup and give the great one the ultimate send-off that he deserves. Yet, with the PR machinery and media in overdrive, the feeling is quite that of 'another ODI tournament'. Agreed, we have seen an awful lot of cricket in the last year, but the way India's tour of SA turned out, it can be asserted that the World Cup will indeed be celebrated as the grandest carnival of the year. The tickets for all of India's matches have already been sold out, and perhaps the 19th of February will jettison the public euphoria. I cannot but remember the final of 2003, when we were anxiously watching Zaheer and Srinath get pounded by Punter and co., despite having final exams the very next day. The sadness was visible on everybody's face after we were done. No more plans of setting off crackers in school!
We will rise to the occasion, and we will support our team and our valiant cricketers. India needs a huge dose of optimism right now, with the social sphere smeared in corruption and talks of disenchantment with India's success story. What we need are new heroes, world-beaters who will capture the public imagination. What we need is a repeat of 1983, when Sandhu's treacherous in-swinger set the whole nation in a trance of faith, as we watched the underdogs upset the Calypso. Time to hear the Bhangra again, this time Sachin ishtyle!
The greatest catch ever..
No comments:
Post a Comment