The Kick of Cricket

If I tell that I had enjoyed any sports that may be the perfect example of oxymoron for anyone who is near to me for the past one decade. Yet, I enjoyed the grand finale of ICC World Cup 2011! I used to watch some cricket matches on and off during the last years. However when the Indian team kissed the Cricket World Cup 2011, memories flooded in me of a time when I scheduled my routines in accordance to the cricket matches.

In my childhood days I just hated the cricket matches. Since my childhood companions were boys, the telecast of cricket match meant the day ahead would be a lonely one. The one who drove me close to the cricket matches was my best friend during the growing up years.  Our friendship grew on the soil of cricket talks and we used to wait for any cricket matches. Far away from the knowledge of cricket technicalities, our favourite team always remained to be the Indian cricket team. When Sachin always reigned as the hero, I favoured Anil Kumble and my friend favoured Ajay Jadeja. 

The 1996 Wills World Cup was the first ever Cricket series that I had watched full length. I was drawn to the magic of the match at that time and even remember praying for the victory of India on an everyday basis. But, as all of us know, India had failed in the semi finals. When the upset fans threw plastic bottles onto the field after the failure of the Indian team, I felt the same agitation. Yet I never lose interest in the sport. The interest in Cricket remained intact and I started to watch all the telecasted cricket matches in DD1.

During all this time, Cricket was not a favourite in my home and I was happy to watch the cricket matches without commentaries.  My interest was rewarded at times as Anil Kumble took 10 wickets against Pakistan in a Test innings of 1999. If I search my cupboards at home, I may still find the newspapers of those days, where this news covered.

The 1999 Cricket world cup happened in the prime days of my Pre University final exams and the hot season of medical entrance examination. During the peak hours of exam I watched the matches only in chosen parts as Sachin or Ajay Jadeja batting and Anil Kumble bowling. In that World Cup, India went of the series without even reaching the semi-finals.

Soon after the 1999 Cricket World Cup ended, there came out the scandal of match fixing. Just like many other cricket fans I was shocked to learn the ugly side of the sports as Indian cricket team captain Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja was thrown out of the team.  About that time I started feeling the futility of wasting my time for such petty things. I lost interest in the game once again and soon find interest in new things of life.

After my marriage, I started watching Cricket on and off. Though my husband was an ardent fan of cricket, I at times felt like throwing a stone at the screen for taking away our time together.  My interest in Cricket never remained intact. 

When the World Cup 2011 began, I was actually relieved that I am at Riyadh and our television network doesn’t cover the series. I couldn’t really fathom Sreejith’s disappointment for losing the chances to watch the matches.  Even when he asked me to come with him to watch the semi-final between India and Pakistan at a friend’s house, I preferred to sit at home than wasting my time there. Yet, I went to watch the finals. There was no tension as I watched the match since I wasn’t in favor of any team. Yet the moment India won and players started to carry Sachin around the stadium, something stirred in me.  

Yes, India has won the World Cup after 28 years! Sachin Tendulkar is in the winning team of Cricket World Cup after 21 years of his Cricket career. I felt that the victory had happened just for him. More than I felt happy and proud for my nation, I felt happy and proud for him. He deserves it than anyone else!

All others in the room were rejoicing the victory of the World Cup when I lost in these musings. When I looked around, I missed my friend. I missed the times we discussed cricket with such fervor.  I missed my lost interest in the game. Still, when there is a cricket match in the next time, I may not run away from it. The kick of World cup victory may sustain me for some days...

Afterword: India won the first World Cup when I was one year old. India won the second World Cup when my daughter is two years old. Will India have to wait for the next World Cup till my grandchild is three years old? (Sorry for the cheesy lines, but I couldn’t help it.)