India defeated Australia today in the quarter final match of cricket world cup 2011 ending their world cup dominance for the past twelve years. It was a game where some heroes were fallen and some were made; a game where mistakes turned into opportunities and most importantly a game which made us live to die another day.
I woke up late for the game despite of the dogged determination taken previous night of getting up at 5 AM in the morning. However, hardly missing the good part, except for Ponting's century, which was anyway in vain, it was a morning well spent. I would like to give the man the taste of his own medicine by simply saying that "Mate, you know your way out, right?" As I woke up rubbing my eyes I saw Ashwin spinning Ricky out of the field. Boom roasted! However, Hussey was belligerent and looked menacing, and it was good to see Australia post only a par-something score for India to chase. India started decently with Sehwag and Sachin getting 40 odd runs in the first ten overs before Sehwag perished to a short delivery from Watson. Johnson and Tait were not effective on the placid track of Motera and were wayward dispensing quite a lot of extras. Australians habitually target Sehwag before the game and this tactic worked this time as well.
Then walked in Gambhir asking the question "what is the perfect crime?", which he answered after facing 64 deliveries and scoring a perfect 50, the answer being, to get involved in suicides and keep trying until you die. During the presentation when Shastri was prying about the pleasantries exchanged between Gambhir and Yuvraj on field, I couldn't help but recall Gambhir's wrathful "bhe*****" directed at Yuvi, with Ganguly commenting "only he is to blame" in the background. Apart from that circus, Gambhir showed a class act along with Sachin in consolidating the innings and working around the singles on a slow track where ball was not easy to hit. While he labored mostly with singles, hitting just 2 fours, Sachin was batting away to glory, with relative ease. What do you expect from a 38 year old man eying his 100th international ton? Nothing less than that.
Just when the ghosts of 2003 were seen getting dispelled, in came a devilish off side length ball to which Sachin edged out. One man's loss became another's opportunity. Yuvraj, the man with the Midas touch, as far as this world cup has gone for him, once again took up the challenge and played the match winning knock. He started with a boundary and made Shaun Tait look like a constipated cow. Poking dangerously for a while, he started hitting through the line and keeping the ball on the ground. He had dreamt of this moment and the dream verily came true (as he mentioned in the post match conference). He was able to chase out the demons that were surrounding him, his belly and his form over the past year. True grit that was, where he paced his innings according to the situation, stole the occasional boundary and never looked in a hurry. After Gauti's encounter, Raina came in to do exactly what was required of him, putting an end to the Yusuf/Raina debate. He walked when another 74 runs were required with the pitch not helping much and the likes of Lee remaining to be seen. The duo undid the Australian pace dismantling Lee and Tait out of the attack, forcing Ponting once again to consider the ineffective spin action. That was no good either and eventually the game slipped away from the mighty Ozzies.
Cricket is a decent metaphor of life. Ups and downs, rewards and penalties, loses and victories. Pathan's loss turned into an opportunity for Raina, which he relished and gave selectors many things to think about. Ponting found himself in a situation similar to what he is normally known for handing over to others. Dhoni although slipped out with the bat, made smart moves in the field and kept rotating bowlers. Collective team effort and lot of self belief saw us through today. Its time that a team from subcontinent lifted the world cup which has been away with Australia for far too long and it was only fitting that India co-hosting the world cup got a little closer in that pursuit.
Now the epic battle awaits. India Vs Pakistan. Favorites Vs the Underdogs/ The fallen heroes/ The crazy farlkempts. Pakistan was dubbed a team with such euphemisms and an uncertain future. Look at where it got them. The most unpredictable team has thrown up the most celebrated of all the battles. An Indo-Pak clash has always been a cricket-lover's dream and I expect this semi-final to be anything like seen before. Friends, Romans and countrymen, lend me your ears: for this will be loudest you would hear from Mohali... "Jeetega bhai Jeetega, Hindustan Jeetega". Unless, Pakistan puts up a show like Butterss Leopold Stotch below, we are in for some serious skull cracking.
I woke up late for the game despite of the dogged determination taken previous night of getting up at 5 AM in the morning. However, hardly missing the good part, except for Ponting's century, which was anyway in vain, it was a morning well spent. I would like to give the man the taste of his own medicine by simply saying that "Mate, you know your way out, right?" As I woke up rubbing my eyes I saw Ashwin spinning Ricky out of the field. Boom roasted! However, Hussey was belligerent and looked menacing, and it was good to see Australia post only a par-something score for India to chase. India started decently with Sehwag and Sachin getting 40 odd runs in the first ten overs before Sehwag perished to a short delivery from Watson. Johnson and Tait were not effective on the placid track of Motera and were wayward dispensing quite a lot of extras. Australians habitually target Sehwag before the game and this tactic worked this time as well.
Then walked in Gambhir asking the question "what is the perfect crime?", which he answered after facing 64 deliveries and scoring a perfect 50, the answer being, to get involved in suicides and keep trying until you die. During the presentation when Shastri was prying about the pleasantries exchanged between Gambhir and Yuvraj on field, I couldn't help but recall Gambhir's wrathful "bhe*****" directed at Yuvi, with Ganguly commenting "only he is to blame" in the background. Apart from that circus, Gambhir showed a class act along with Sachin in consolidating the innings and working around the singles on a slow track where ball was not easy to hit. While he labored mostly with singles, hitting just 2 fours, Sachin was batting away to glory, with relative ease. What do you expect from a 38 year old man eying his 100th international ton? Nothing less than that.
Just when the ghosts of 2003 were seen getting dispelled, in came a devilish off side length ball to which Sachin edged out. One man's loss became another's opportunity. Yuvraj, the man with the Midas touch, as far as this world cup has gone for him, once again took up the challenge and played the match winning knock. He started with a boundary and made Shaun Tait look like a constipated cow. Poking dangerously for a while, he started hitting through the line and keeping the ball on the ground. He had dreamt of this moment and the dream verily came true (as he mentioned in the post match conference). He was able to chase out the demons that were surrounding him, his belly and his form over the past year. True grit that was, where he paced his innings according to the situation, stole the occasional boundary and never looked in a hurry. After Gauti's encounter, Raina came in to do exactly what was required of him, putting an end to the Yusuf/Raina debate. He walked when another 74 runs were required with the pitch not helping much and the likes of Lee remaining to be seen. The duo undid the Australian pace dismantling Lee and Tait out of the attack, forcing Ponting once again to consider the ineffective spin action. That was no good either and eventually the game slipped away from the mighty Ozzies.
Cricket is a decent metaphor of life. Ups and downs, rewards and penalties, loses and victories. Pathan's loss turned into an opportunity for Raina, which he relished and gave selectors many things to think about. Ponting found himself in a situation similar to what he is normally known for handing over to others. Dhoni although slipped out with the bat, made smart moves in the field and kept rotating bowlers. Collective team effort and lot of self belief saw us through today. Its time that a team from subcontinent lifted the world cup which has been away with Australia for far too long and it was only fitting that India co-hosting the world cup got a little closer in that pursuit.
Now the epic battle awaits. India Vs Pakistan. Favorites Vs the Underdogs/ The fallen heroes/ The crazy farlkempts. Pakistan was dubbed a team with such euphemisms and an uncertain future. Look at where it got them. The most unpredictable team has thrown up the most celebrated of all the battles. An Indo-Pak clash has always been a cricket-lover's dream and I expect this semi-final to be anything like seen before. Friends, Romans and countrymen, lend me your ears: for this will be loudest you would hear from Mohali... "Jeetega bhai Jeetega, Hindustan Jeetega". Unless, Pakistan puts up a show like Butterss Leopold Stotch below, we are in for some serious skull cracking.
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