April 2, 2011. Close to midnight. Fingers all damp, creating geometrical patterns in the air. Tension, like a coiled spring. Everyone waiting. Waiting for the orgasmic release.
And then, it happened.
Ball met bat, pinged off its face and soared high into the steamy night. Bat twirls. Pandemonium.
"Captain Cool" (The one with steel Cojones) conjured an Innings typical of the man. It had the Dhoni stamp all over it. Deft nudges, running like an escaped killer, rasping cuts and a gradual,ruthless dismantling of a formidable bowling unit.
While everybody is heaping praises on the guy who has patented the "Helicopter shot" (And very deservedly so!), there was one li'l man who made it possible. A man who largely kept away from the immediate wild,emotion charged post match celebrations. An intense introvert, he was probably reflecting on the magnitude of his achievement before coming out to give the inevitable interview.
Jayarwardene's silken stings lacerated India. But Gambhir mended the wound and knifed Lanka in the gut before Dhoni cut off the life support.
India is a star heavy line up with some supremely gifted willow wielders. To go with the glittering array of talent, they also have a Man whose bloody mindedness is rivaled only by a certain Rahul Dravid. Dravid evolved into a more attacking batsman but Gambhir is a natural that way. Desperately hungry for success, no one relishes a scrap more than this hugely impressive lad from Delhi. I picked him out as the bloke who was most likely to play the most decisive knock of this World Cup and he didn't disappoint.
As a guy who had followed Indian Cricket actively from the mid 90's till the present time, the most overwhelming feeling when it all ended was relief. The Indian Fan knows and intuitively understands the trauma caused by shattering defeats, uninspiring sphere slingers and exhibitions of "yellow livered play." Calls were attended to before, during and after the game. It showcased the whole gamut of emotions. Anticipation, anxiety, despair, desperation, hope, jubilation and tension were all evident. Yours truly wasn't completely spared either. But at the end of it all, all I felt was relief and complete contentment rather than naked,unbridled joy. I slept well, anticipating the sheer pleasure of reading the papers and Cricinfo articles the next day.
Like every Indian Fan, I cannot contemplate watching Cricket without Sachin Tendulkar playing it. The piece on him and what he means to me and a whole generation of Indians will have to wait for a few more years hopefully but to see the "Bombay Bomber" hold the Cup that counts amidst swirling emotions symbolized the culmination of possibly, the largest collective dream in history.
The Old Blighty, the Caribbean and Down Under tours beckon later this year. But for now, WE ARE THE WORLD CHAMPIONS. Ruminate on those words and voice 'em out loud whenever you want. The deed has been done.
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