"The cup that will count forever"

‘The cup that counts’ been hearing it all over the news. Been hearing it inside my head, drumming hither and thither, pacing up and down, the pressure immense, a gazillion what ifs haunting my dreams, nothing would matter if India wins, that’s the bottom line I kept on telling myself. The trivial matters in the world, in my world and in everybody’s would soon be so trifle that it would be non-existent that’s what 'we' kept on telling ourselves. Our support for our team – profound, unmatched and exhilarating. Something we’ve been dreaming for long, the whole nation waiting for a world cup. Can they do it again?

That was the question prior to India’s final venture with Lankans. We’ve been living cricket since the day we were born, been playing it in verandahs, streets, grounds, stadiums and even at our homes. Wishing cricket to be proclaimed as the national game of India - nobody gives it an ear to. We’ve been players, we’ve been in the matches ‘unlike the Indian team’, of course, but we empathize and that’s what matters, to be able to understand and comprehend what goes through the minds of the players playing a stress game, what is anticipated from them, how many hopes tied to their performances, how much criticism as if we all are the selectors in our own way, such great happiness if India wins a match and of course the gloomy sunset when it fails to vanquish.

It wasn’t easy for us to gulp down the unprecedented victory of India although it happened in the past in 1983, I hardly believed it as I never saw it happening. I am an emotional wreck. I come in tears just like that. The tears of joy running down the face of the Indian team brought us all crying when the team hugged each other as if in dream but certainly a dream come true for everyone. If there is heaven (which I doubt as an atheist) I would like it to be like this I said to myself. The smile wouldn’t cease on my face. The smile of contentment wouldn’t leave me. I kept on murmuring that India won....India Won the world cup....India did it....It’s just not nothing....It is everything....And things like I’ve never been so happy in my entire life! And my heart danced like it never did and I’m sure that every other Indian’s did too.

The long wait was finally over. I wanted to see India win a world cup in my life span at least coz the first victory felt as if it never happened. I kept on saying that I want a world cup at least once in my life and the Indian team managed to grab one.

Like 1.2 billion people, I became the happiest man alive on earth. I kept on smiling as if nothing mattered, as if nothing would matter in the days to come. I want to cherish this ecstasy for years to come.

The day started unusually when we ran off to watch the world cup finals in the DB City mall of Bhopal. To everyone’s surprise it retained the maximum number of public anyone could possibly imagine in a mall. The crowd gathered to see the finals as 4-5 screens were put up to show this formidable clash. As the proceedings began with the toss and then later with India’s bowling and impeccable fielding, we totally changed the environment of the mall into a stadium as we shouted at the top of our voice in unison. With every bowl we made the environment tensed for the Lankans (so we felt). The moment a wicket fell we screamed like crazy, giving high-fives to each other hardly caring to notice where our hands landed, while every unknown citizen got bound by the thread of fraternity while the joy remained dangling in the air. The atmosphere was filled with so much noise, loud enough to cost you your dear ears, as it beat upon our ear drums while one could hardly hear anything which wasn’t shouted upon to one’s contemporary. We decided to get smug and so we ended up watching the rest of the match on TV at our rooms.

The rest of the match thrilled us beyond limit. The expressions became grin the moment Lankans made a big total that seemed hard to vanquish. When it was time for India to bat, we were disheartened when we saw Veeru fell and nearly died when we saw Sachin got caught behind the stumps, but regained our consciousness by a solid partnership by Gauti and Kohli. We became stiff at Kohli’s mistake although the skipper made it look too easy in the end. Although Gauti couldn’t finish off his century, Zak couldn’t take a wicket more, Sachin couldn’t become the leading scorer in the tournament, we all wished one thing and only one thing to happen and that was the team’s win. If the team won then such things would hardly matter. No records meant anything to us. As the skipper MSD signed off the match in style with a lofty six we knew it was all over. The world stopped for us. The heavens wanted to see us rejoice. We jumped on each other with joy written all over our faces, we threw high fives at each other, our mouths ran with Yeaaaaaaah…..and lots of Yeeaaaaah…. ! and nothing pacified us. Watching the teammates carry Sachin on his shoulder showing their respect for him, how the WC mattered the world to him and how the players made his dream come true brought tears of joy to my face. That was the ultimate joy, the limit of ecstasy – no boundaries here.

A late night dancing on the street with drums – The police charging at us with sticks – we hiding at our apartment – and then mocking the police from there – joining the crowd again for some more dance – hooting at the top of our voice – PCR vans showing up – causing everyone to run for their lives – was the aftermath at our side.

I am pretty sure there must have been celebrations better than ours in different parts of our country coz this is not just any moment. The lndian team has given us all a reason to smile, the news channel a reason to blather, the newbies a new hope to fight for their places, the youth a reason to celebrate, the drunkards a reason to ‘do I need to mention that’, the sad to be happy, and the happy to be mad.

We will never forget the day India made every Indian’s dream come true. Kudos to Team India ! May they have every win they fight hard for, may they shine like this forever and keep on giving us reasons to smile and to rejuvenate every now and then.

What a day... What a day...!!

I am bad at remembering dates and events ... 2nd April 2011..... Damn I’m becoming good already !!