The Indian World Cup Triumph!

Funny how great things get, I believe the feeling hasn’t sunk in yet in me. It was just another day, just another match. I felt goosebumps when India were chasing and Sachin got out. But, still I just hung in there for completion of the match. I didn’t move a lot because of the worry that a wicket might fall. It did fall when something changed, Kohli got out. But after that nothing mattered till the winning runs were scored. I made sure nothing changed. It still hasn’t sunk in. We have seen 1983 images throughout our life-time, that happened when I would have been 4 years old.

I have been following the world cup all those years, from 1987, when India went out because Gatting swept. I did feel happy when he lost it with a similar sweep in the Final, but the disappointment was still there. In 1992, I cherished our win against Pak, but I had to say to myself -> we had beaten the to be world champions in a cracker, so we are the true champions. In 1996, all went to hell because we chose bowling on a track which was turning square and was unplayable when it was our turn. All I could do was pity Kambli and myself, that we have lost again.

In 1999, we were never there other than the taunt of Ganguly & Dravid @ Taunton. In 2003, it was one blemish which ended our chances. We erred only on the final or may be we peaked to soon and the statistics caught up with us on the final. In 2007, we went to WI only to enjoy the beaches being turned inside out because of a wrong coaching decision we did years ago.

But 2011 was our year, it was 28 years since the calendars lined up like this and it was another April 2, Saturday which has fulfilled our dreams. When most of our detractors dismissed 1983 as a fluke upset, no one can deny 2011. This was India’s cup, though I would have liked a more dominant performance. The cup that counts is ours, and may be we should peak at the right time and make sure we cling on to it for another 2, 3, you put the number of times you want us to get to a dominance in world cricket.

I would like Indians win in dominance and treat the others with humility. WI marauded their way to cup greatness. Australians sledged their way. Pak had a blitzkrieg of talent. Lankans had clinical precision on planning. For India, it was always emotions. When I saw each and everyone of our team carry joyful tears after the match, it summed it all. They were not Gods, or Demi-Gods, they were humans just like us and they emote just like us. We cried and they cried that’s what makes Cricket tick in India. That’s why we will always connect to our cricketers than our Actors or Politicians. That’s why we are behind our team for 28 years to make this happen, & I will be behind them for the rest of my life.