The World Cup Disappointment

                                      The World Cup Disappointment

India vs New Zealand World Cup 2019 Semi-Final: Match suspended ...

 

 

It was a bright sunny day in Old Trafford, Manchester. Perfect for the semi - finals of the World Cup – 2019.

 

New Zealand had constructed a target of 240, achievable for any team. The Indian team has a habit to lose in the easiest situations and win in the impossible ones. This is an exact replica of that stereotyped habit.

 

Rohit Sharma, the Indian team’s top opener walked in with KL Rahul and the crowd roared and cheered, crazy and bubbling with excitement. Victory in this match would earn them a direct ticket into the finals. They stretched and walked up to the pitch. Tapping the ground with their bat and getting for the most important part of their life in the last five years, they got into position.

 

First ball was a rather unusual inswinger and made Sharma walk out of the ground. Nevertheless, the Indian fans cheered on never wondering about the ominous future. Virat Kohli, the face and place of the Indian team with his stock confident grin and charming aristocratic smile went up to the crease. He too got out early along with KL Rahul.

The Indian fans, now crying gave up all hope.

 

Soon, the Indian team’s batting order had started tumbling down just like old times. Dhoni and Jadeja, the oldest cricketers in the team drove the game till the end but eventually Dhoni in spite of his spectacular speed got run out. Jadeja played a gem of an innings but the asking run rate was too much and he played one shot too many. 


 All the fans were sulking (I was one of them) and they went home, depressed at the loss of the opportunity.This feeling lasted for a few days , lingering on and crushing the hope of millions of Indians. It really looked like New Zealand wanted to savour that opportunity, reaching the finals two times in a row and hoping for victory this time around.Everybody I saw that evening had a sullen face .



 I realized that winning the World Cup required more than talent. It needed a little bit of luck as well. But opportunities come and go, it is  important to move on from your failures and learn from them; and not make the same mistakes as last time. 


And the Indian team learnt a lot, oh yes!!, they are going to win the next World Cup with a better team, a dream team. So I hope ........so I dream.



World Cup 2019: How Team India came to be called the 'new chokers'






Comments

  1. Anonymous8 September 2020 at 17:39

    "The Indian team has a habit to lose in the easiest situations and win in the impossible ones." True statement. Nice writing Keep it up : )

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown14 September 2020 at 14:54

    Beautifully written Shubh .

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Immigrant's Curse (Part 1)

The plane taxied down the highway of Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport; a grim smile on the passengers faces after the tedious journey. As he stepped out of the plane he was greeted by a rush of warm, humid air -  a typical Mumbai summer special. He walked out of the airport and addressed his family with a nod which they pretended not to notice. He would have been ashamed of his family shouting in the Mumbai mob back home but he was cut loose from his family and friends that were in India. They were almost...strangers to him now. He suddenly felt like a celebrity and those people were like paparazzi. With non-existent fear of humiliation creating a bubble of charisma and confidence he walked on only to be assailed with eager faces yearning to know about his lavish life. Well, he had not really expected this, had he? He was hoping to start a new chapter in his life once again. He had come to his roots again. But he was disconnected from the modern India - maybe these weren't his roots any
Read more

In The Back Of My Mind

 The airplane coasted over the slums of Mumbai, Chiding at the cynicism of the high-rise in NYC Soon, we were walking towards the taxi, Hot humid air sticking to our faces Dark-complexioned men all around filling a void inside me Even though they were strangers Even though they were unknown They somehow filled the wide abyss in my heart People surrounded me Everywhere I looked I could see ME I could see myself around me After all those years of confusion I could finally see an Indian like me..... Poignancy, sheer exhilaration and nostalgia gripped me Unwillingly bringing me back Taking me along to the India of 1990's My country somehow felt different to me, A stranger in the back of my mind So close yet just out of reach An indescribable feeling to me Exasperating my piqueness to no end I searched and searched Until I just stopped.  I stopped looking for an answer And started accepting
Read more

Malala - She Can't Be Stopped Now

Image
 Malala Yousafzai places vital importance on the meaning of her name - "grief-stricken". Undying in her quest to cross the limitations placed by her name, her gender and her religion she tells a story - a story that was applauded by many. In the book I Am Malala she first tries to convince us about SWAT Valley, Pakistan. Her home covered by terrorists and rifles to the rest of the world is an everlasting beauty for her- embroidered by mountains and forests inadvertently making it the centre of her life. The juxtaposition of the rifles in a picturesque valley - a weird contrast I must say ! Malala's father molded her thoughts based on his ideas as he was against the discrimination of women in Pakistan. But in a country filled with prejudiced laws there was not much one man could do. Ironically it was a woman, Malala, who proved that wrong. Malala also talks about her background - her father who was an educator and her life before the earthquake- an earthquake that rendered
Read more