Champions!!

July the 14^th, 2019 – The day that would be remembered for two of the best sporting spectacles in the world, both hosting their respective championship finals, happening in the same country, even in the same city, and guess what, heck, both were at their thrilling best too, at pretty much the same time!

We had a World Cup final and a Wimbledon final happening concurrently, with surely a good chunk of the world riveted to at least one, if not to both the sporting treats together.

Look at what happened on Centre Court, Wimbledon on Sunday: Anyone who watched it live, would consider himself (or herself) lucky: For, on the one hand, you had a champion player – a player at the peak of his powers, the World # 1, a player who is extremely respected for his talent and abilities. Yet, even more renowned his personality, affability and tenacity: Novak - true champion - Djokovic.

On the other, you were witness to the old warhorse, a sprightly 37 (in a week’s time, 38) year old stalwart, a living legend, and another genius, who is such a sublime performer that his game has transcended itself to be called an art. Blessed with the ability to make everything look graceful, elegant and easy on the eye, he is someone who is and will always be remembered for his touch play, along with his pulse on outwitting placement and immaculate timing, as much as for his big booming serves and returns. Another true champion, another superstar: Roger - all-time great - Federer.

Both ND and RF are well-known for their down-to-earth, funny, genuinely humble, and easy-going nature. But on court, while their gentlemanly conduct never dissipates, both are also fiercely competitive, giving their all to each and every point, to each and every shot, game after game, set after set, match after match.

Sunday’s Final was a perfect testament to their character, talent, and perseverance.

Eventually, Novak held on, after saving two championship points and after channelizing all his reserves of energy and abilities. This match was well and truly worthy of being the final of the tournament.

Typically, one would be lucky to have seen such a close match on any day. Even as an audience, one is so heavily involved and invested in the match, that irrespective of the result, once the match has been done with, the audience is also pretty much spent. One does not have any more energy nor does one even expect to be involved in yet another humdinger, on the same day, in fact not just that but even right after the first match.

So, there you were: same day, same city: another sport, another match: another fitting final of ICC’s marquee event – the 50-over Cricket World Cup!

Again, it’s rare to have a tie in any match, let alone World Cup Final (an obvious first-of-its-kind). What made it even rarer was the fact that the Super Over, meant to decide the winner after the regular match’s scores were tied, was also tied!!

               

And, if any more drama was ever missing, it was left for the last: the fact that the winner was decided based on an absurd and illogical rule, which left everyone (except the English) baffled and even sad for the Kiwis.

From a fortuitous overthrow, to an incorrect interpretation of the rulebook by the umpires, there were too many rarest-of-rare cases together, which happened to always be incompatible with the Kiwis’ liking.

However, in yet another exemplary display of grace, dignity, composure and true sportsman spirit, the NZ team, led by their unflappable skipper Kane - Gentleman – Williamson, the Kiwis just showed how even if you might “lose” a match, you could still win hearts and become true champions.

To all such athletes who were in action in both the Finals on July 14^th: You’ve been great ambassadors for your sport. Well done, well done, well done!

INDIAAAA....Indiyeah!!

It's the biggest quadrennial showpiece event of the cricketing world: the 50-over World Cup.

In the absence of a proper Test match tournament (at least before the Test Championship actually takes off), the 50-over cricketing World Cup is easily the most hallowed trophy of the lot.

At the time of writing this, defending champions Australia have already qualified for the semis, while ex-champions India, along with the perennial dark horses New Zealand are also almost through.

As of now, India is the only unbeaten team in the tournament, having beaten Pakistan (yet again!) comprehensively.

The most interesting part is debate is about who will seal the 4th place?
England and Pakistan, along with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka - all of these are in contention for that one berth, to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

It will then boil down to who comes top of tops in the league standings, to play the 4th-placed team in Semi Final # 1, with the second Semi Final to be held between teams placed 2nd and 3rd.

I see England as a likely semi final entrant but we will have to wait and watch on that.
All said and done, this is an exciting time at the Cup and if all goes well, there is a great chance of an Indian hand holding the trophy!

Go for it, Team India - all the best!!

Whose Shame Is It?

Imagine coming back from a long, tough, and hard day at work.
Don't we all have days when we ourselves are disappointed that we could not do as well as we normally do?
Don't we already feel low about our competence and productivity on that day?
Does that mean we have become disloyal or unscrupulous?

Imagine being the subject of stupid jokes or lengthy gossips about your beloved - by one and all, just because that person happened to come by, watching you or if you happened to call/talk to that person in the middle of an already terrible, avoidable day.

Imagine your integrity, commitment and passion towards your job being questioned because of this one day?
That too, by people who do not even know a fraction of what all challenges your job requires, and what all efforts you put in, despite the lack of performance/desired results?

Imagine all this being done to you and your family/loved ones - being subjected to judgements being passed, by anyone and everyone, non-stop, in full public glare, across social networks, television debates, tea-time idle gossip sessions.

Perhaps this is just the kind of emotion that is running through our cricketers who would have failed yes, but who - if you could care to give the the benefit of doubt - could also have wanted and tried to win as much as (if not more than) anyone else would have wanted to.
Ofcourse, since the result did not turn out as expected, there must have been mistakes.
But to blame them to lack of commitment, intention, passion, other priorities, affairs - without any credible proof?
How fair is that?

Yes, so we gave it back, we came a cropper in the match against Australia, bowled timidly, batted tamely, could not defend our crown, okay.

Of course, it hurts.

But there are a couple of things that rankle more than the loss itself:

1. The Media's Uncalled-for Hysteria and Baseless Outrage

2. The Incessant and Nauseating Bashing of a Couple

Both these events, highly deplorable and unprofessional, came about only and only because we lost.

Yes, we understand the angst.
Yes, as true-blue (in more ways than one) fans, we have the right to demand that our cricket stars perform to their very best.
But no, we have no right - no one ever can have - the right to dismiss their performance as lacking in intensity, and/or worse, even lacking the will to win!

Have we not beaten any such (in fact, even better) teams comprehensively ourselves too?
Did we (or their media) then question our vanquished team's motives?
Did we (or that team's media) then cast aspersions on their sincerity or commitment?

To attribute our loss to ulterior motives and sinister behind-the-scenes conspiracies without even a shred of evidence, is downright despicable.

I do not say that we are living in Satyug.
I understand that there could well be the odd black sheep somewhere.

However, to pass a judgement without understanding or empathizing with the subjects themselves, is completely irresponsible.
To attribute a bad performance, howsoever pathetic it may be, to lack of motives, is absolutely abominable, to say the least.

Right from the day we lost, Times Now, a famous/infamous news channel, with an even more famous/infamous host, notorious for his verbal soliloquy, ran a disparaging news campaign: #ShamedInSydney

To all those who say are-yaar-ye-to-easy-(shot/catch)-thi...paise-khaye-hain, sincerity/commitment/intensity hi nahin hai, I have only one submission:

Ok, I can't say for anyone else, but surely, I can say for myself, right?

They say, before we judge anyone else, the best way to understand a situation is to try and put yourself too, in that same situation.

All I can say is that I have played my share of competitive cricket and I don't care if anyone would like to believe this or not, but at least I surely know in my heart of hearts about myself, that I have played it with passion and integrity all my life.

Yet, of course, I have dropped the easiest-looking catches at times.

I have also played such shots in some situations, which I would not have played, had it not been for the match situation (with a run-rate going out of control or due to a belatedly-realized misplaced confidence in my ability to pull it off).

However, mind you, none of this was due to any irresponsibility or lack of will to win/commitment/passion/sincerity.

I have not necessarily showed/displayed emotion or intensity when I did not feel any less intense/passionate/emotional.

My only point is, before we jump to conclusions about the sincerity and commitment of a cricketer, let us not
jump the gun.
Let us try to understand that even a sincere attempt can look horrible if it does not come off.
Why should an incorrectly chosen shot-selection be panned as selling one's soul or not the player not wanting to win?

Yes, we are hurt when we see such a shot, but (if you could believe that a cricketer need not have done so deliberately), pray, tell me, wouldn't the cricketer in question himself be hurting more than anyone else about his dismissal or poor-performance?

Wouldn't he himself be feeling low - without having to be told and reminded through often the choicest of abuses or sarcasm - when we behave the way we do?

I ask of you - what exactly is (more) shameful?

Our team losing to a better team on a given day?
Or us, fans, losing our senses, passing judgements on the sincerity, character, passion, commitment, and integrity of our team - without knowing any better?
Just put hand on your heart and ask yourself.

If I could share, let me tell you what is more shameful.

No, losing is not shameful - not even when losing badly, if we tried our best - to a better team on the day.

What is shameful is our insensitive, crass, and instantly judgemental reaction.
What is shameful is our inability to separate reason from emotion and pull down someone's integrity, so easily and publicly.

What is shameful is to see that people who have never held a cricket bat, go on to question the commitment of a team, just because the captain did not cry as much to their liking, after we lost.

What is shameful is that we pass judgements on a couple - especially on a lady who is out there cheering for her love, the way any other better half would - just because she happens to be a celebrity and a lady who has openly admitted her commitment status - just because it seems easy for us to make them our favorite target.
How easy it is for us to send jokes, one-liners, sarcasms, even give our own spin to what happened and what all they were doing before the match by our know-all 'experts'.
ALL THIS is what is indeed shameful.

Congratulations, Team Australia - not just for getting the World Cup back and playing top cricket, but lucky you, in also getting fans who would not indulge in passing judgements about your (and/or even your better half's) character on the basis of your win/loss.

Any and every team - including Team India - deserves better too.
We keep asking our team to get better all the time.
Fair enough.
Perhaps, it's a good moment to reflect and ask, whether Team India too, deserves its fans (and media) behaving better than this.

World Cup Prognosis

Yes, lots has been going on in the country and outside - in world news highlights, Egypt has courageously 
overthrown a monarch. On the home front, India is grappling with one scam after another. As if CWG, Adarsh, and 2G were not enough, presenting the new, improved - ISRO scam too!

Amidst all this, we have a more pleasant reason to look up the news - the ICC Cricket World Cup is here, and it's no wonder that we Indians love forgetting all the dreadful, avoidable news by immersing ourselves into the one sport that binds all of us. The one sport that gives India a credible chance at being World Champions - Yes, the cricket world cup is here. 

Thanks to 1983, we are always inundated with reruns of the Indian team's 1983 World Cup matches and the interviews of all our stars from that team. This time, the original showpiece event of cricket - the quadrennial Cricket World Cup, is here in the subcontinent after 14 years. So before the event gets underway, I thought of sticking my neck out with what I feel are each team's chances going into this World Cup.

Would be fun to watch how things pan out, come April 2.

And unless you are someone for whom all that cricket means, is only the name of an insect, you might well know that we have 14 teams playing this World Cup, divided into two groups, each comprising 7 teams. Anyway, here's the complete list of all the fixtures for WC 2011.

That having said, let's now get down to gazing through my crystal ball, and predicting the prospects for the World Cup (click the image below, to enlarge the sheet for a better view):

 

First-round eliminations:

Yes, I somehow fancy Bangladesh more than the West Indies to make it to the Quarters. The one big reason is that the Bangla boys are always a force to reckon with, when playing at home. Then, the fact that apart from playing all their matches in front of a rooting crowd at home, they are also blessed with quite a few players who are more suited to their playing conditions, as against the Windies' team. Also, unlike the West Indians, I actually believe that Bangladesh could still beat one of the 3 more fancied teams of its group (in India, SA, and England - apart from ofcourse, looking capable enough to beat the current West Indies team on home ground).

The rest of the teams - Zimbabwe, Netherlands, Ireland, Kenya, and Canada - could play a good match here and there, but it would be a big shock to see any of them progressing beyond the first round.

New Zealand - A4

Good team, but certainly not better than SL, Aus, and Pakistan from their group mates in Group A. Expect them to be A4.

Pakistan - A3

Not better than a rejuvenated Aussie side and cannot be better than a formidable SL team playing all its matches at home. A3.

Australia - A2

Better than all sides except a formidable SL team playing all its matches at home. A2.

Sri Lanka - A1

A formidable SL team playing almost all its matches at home (except against NZ - at Mumbai). Should top their group. A1.

Bangladesh - B4

Already spoken about. Can seriously edge out the Windies, esp since they are playing almost all their matches at home. Unlike Windies, could beat a top 3 team from its group. B4.

England - B3

Not better than SA and India (though not worse than any others in their Group) - cannot see them beating both SA and India. B3.

South Africa - B2

Better than England, Bangladesh (gut-feel and heart say India can only be beaten on an off-day on home soil) - can beat both. B2.

India - B1

Better than all sides except an off day at home. Should (and must) top their group. B1.

Why India must top their Group

If you look at the Quarter Final (QF) lineup, it is stacked against all teams who could easily beat India (or any team) on their day. Among them, the weakest link is the Kiwi line-up. Topping the group would mean we get to play the easiest team in the QF setup, that too, in pretty-much home conditions, in Sri Lanka (somehow, I feel outside of Indian pitches, India would prefer to play in Colombo than in Dhaka, in front of a difficult Bangla crowd, on a pitch that could be ultra-slow even by Indian sub-continental standards). 

QF1: SL Vs Bangladesh

Easy - Despite Bangla's home adv, SL won't take it lightly. The Lankans should be comfortable winners.

QF2: Australia Vs England

Australia - thanks to their mauling of England and superior form. England seems only a better Test-playing nation, not still the ODI champs. Aus also play better in Indian than England do.

QF3: Pakistan Vs South Africa

Hmm - tight. But still, SA have their noses in front. Could be anybody's game.

QF4: India Vs New Zealand

Unless they mess it or someone plays a blinder, the game should be India's - in subcontinental conditions.

Semi Final 1: Sri Lanka Vs South Africa (Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Though SL are a tough side especially at home, SA are the better side - greater batting depth and better bowling.

Semi Final 2: India Vs Australia (Mohali, India)
Hmm - could be tight, but still expect India to make it through. WILL BE TIGHT.

FINAL: India Vs South Africa (Mumbai, India) 

Well, Home Conditions + FINAL + Choking SA =  India! That’s all the heart hopes for!! Amen.
For all we know, it could also be India Vs Pakistan (if Pakistan beat SA) in the FINAL! And yes, who knows what all can happen then!! Would nevertheless be great to see a 2007 T20 WC Final encore - India beating Pakistan in a thriller!! 
Amen!! :)