Its the World Cup semi-final time again.. for some reason the semi finals have almost always been more thrilling affairs than the finals.. over the years WC semi finals have seen some of the most unforgettable matches.
I have vague memories of India losing the 1987 Reliance cup semis to England, when Sunny Gavaskar, who played so well against New Zealand, got out early. However, I distinctly remember the 1992 WC semis despite India not being a part of it. I remember this new team playing so well through out the tournament and some dreaded rule getting the better of them in the Semis.. at one moment it was 22 to get off 13 balls, at the other it was 22 off 1! I dont remember the other Semis though but it is the '92 finals that I still remember, where I had supported Pakistan and won a bet of Rs 2 with my Grandpa.
The next 4 years saw me become a blind Indian cricket fan, like any Indian kid of that age. I had witnessed the wonder kid Sachin Tendulkar develop into the Superstar. I cherished Indian wins on flat Indian tracks and condoned their impotency abroad. Before the 1996 World Cup, while experts talked about South Africa and Australia being the strongest contenders, I was silently confident about India's chances. So the league game loss to Australia at Wankhede was itself a heartbreak, let alone the semi finals.
The semi finals against Sri Lanka is firmly etched into my memory. India's nemisis from Kotla, Jayasuriya out in the 1st over, Aravinda D'silva exuding class at every shot, Roshan Mahanama dehydrating, Sachin and Manjrekar making the chase look easy, Sachin getting stumped around his stumps by D'Silva, devils emerging suddenly from the Eden Gardens pitch, India's meek surrender and Vinod Kambli leaving the field in tears. The other semis I remember too. West Indies were cruising along. Then suddenly that magician Warne does one of his most famous acts, mesmerizing the West Indies.
1999 semis again had no India, owing to that despicable performance at Leister. But the semis were memorable nonetheless. Requiring 9 runs off the last over, Klusener slammed 2 boundaries off Fleming though extra cover. Needing 1 run off 3 balls, Alan Donald gettng stranded in the middle of the wicket must be one of the most haunting glimpses of One Day Cricket. In the other semis, Pakistan, the best team in the tournament by a margin eased past New Zealand, only to flatter to deceive in the finals
Well. 2003 was one edition where there weren't many surprises in the semis. Let us hope that the Semis this time live up to their reputation.
24.4.07
19.4.07
comely
stayin at home after a long time.. a snapshot of how things shud b.. playin the part of a good son.. visiting relatives with parents, running errands for mom and home to office and back without wandering elsewher..
.. and then there is this animal in shackles and in hibernation!
.. and then there is this animal in shackles and in hibernation!
5.4.07
India Blues
And like everything, even good 'teams' have to die.
Aint no sympathy when they say goodbye.
It has been the end of an era. The present Indian team had shown symptoms of a terminal illness for some time. The heartbreaking WC exit was just the death knell. However, despite all the anguish, it has to be said: this was possibly the best Indian team ever. Better than Wadekar's team that won in England and West Indies and better than Kapil's devils.
With the seeds sown in 2000 when Ganguly was made captain and John Wright the coach, it showed initial signs of greatness in 2001 by taking on Steve Waugh's bullies by their horns and taming them. The golden era of the Blues came in 2003, when they ended the World Cup as runners up, squared the series Down Under and defeated Pakistan on their home turf. Some of the best test wins overseas were scripted during their time: Headingley in 2002, Adelaide, Multan and Lahore in 2003, Jamaica and Johenasburg 2006 to name a few.
This team treaded on the brink of greatess so often. It is sad that they would always be remembered not for what they have achieved, but for what they could have.
Aint no sympathy when they say goodbye.
It has been the end of an era. The present Indian team had shown symptoms of a terminal illness for some time. The heartbreaking WC exit was just the death knell. However, despite all the anguish, it has to be said: this was possibly the best Indian team ever. Better than Wadekar's team that won in England and West Indies and better than Kapil's devils.
With the seeds sown in 2000 when Ganguly was made captain and John Wright the coach, it showed initial signs of greatness in 2001 by taking on Steve Waugh's bullies by their horns and taming them. The golden era of the Blues came in 2003, when they ended the World Cup as runners up, squared the series Down Under and defeated Pakistan on their home turf. Some of the best test wins overseas were scripted during their time: Headingley in 2002, Adelaide, Multan and Lahore in 2003, Jamaica and Johenasburg 2006 to name a few.
This team treaded on the brink of greatess so often. It is sad that they would always be remembered not for what they have achieved, but for what they could have.
Updates..
..more thn a yr of blogging... have come full circle - was on a Mirosoft project then, so I am now. btw.. the facility here is awesome.. pretty similar to, infact better than, Infy.
newez.. back in bbay for almost 3 weeks and after 9 months.. n nothings changed... this city just accepts me as its own. Infact only after a week did I realize abt the change in surroundings.. Waiting in a bus stop-it suddenly struck me tht this is no longer the dirty and crowded Behala Bypass, but the clean n plush Linking Road.
All the lost sleep at the End Terms and the Placements was regained in the 1st 2 weeks here, thru circumventing Dad's 'timetable' and too-busy-to-meet-up Friends.
BEST bus rides would always be the same, wont they. Took the 259 recently n down memory lane. Same old Indian Oil, n same old Bangur Nagar. Only in beween, the traffic clogged Malad Link Road near Lonkhandwala which had huge inchoate concrete strucures staring down its throat is now free flowing and is looked upon by expensive restaurants and lavish malls. India shining or not, Bombay is definitely iridescent.
And the 3rd term grades are out. My Joka grade ride has been a proper sine wave so far. Obtained a decent CG in Term1 only to be setback by all the Indian Social Structure and Behavioral Sciences Glob of Term2. Term 3 saw me claw it back a bit and I hope to end Term 4 at 90 degrees. Took me 1 yr of B Schooling to figure out tht Globing is not my cup of tea. HR n Mkting go out of the window. Fin is still goin strong, and Ops has suddenly made a special appearance.
Signing off
Ritz
newez.. back in bbay for almost 3 weeks and after 9 months.. n nothings changed... this city just accepts me as its own. Infact only after a week did I realize abt the change in surroundings.. Waiting in a bus stop-it suddenly struck me tht this is no longer the dirty and crowded Behala Bypass, but the clean n plush Linking Road.
All the lost sleep at the End Terms and the Placements was regained in the 1st 2 weeks here, thru circumventing Dad's 'timetable' and too-busy-to-meet-up Friends.
BEST bus rides would always be the same, wont they. Took the 259 recently n down memory lane. Same old Indian Oil, n same old Bangur Nagar. Only in beween, the traffic clogged Malad Link Road near Lonkhandwala which had huge inchoate concrete strucures staring down its throat is now free flowing and is looked upon by expensive restaurants and lavish malls. India shining or not, Bombay is definitely iridescent.
And the 3rd term grades are out. My Joka grade ride has been a proper sine wave so far. Obtained a decent CG in Term1 only to be setback by all the Indian Social Structure and Behavioral Sciences Glob of Term2. Term 3 saw me claw it back a bit and I hope to end Term 4 at 90 degrees. Took me 1 yr of B Schooling to figure out tht Globing is not my cup of tea. HR n Mkting go out of the window. Fin is still goin strong, and Ops has suddenly made a special appearance.
Signing off
Ritz
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)