It’s actually more than that. It’s the match between the Champions v/s Challengers. It’s the match between the Past v/s Present. It’s the match between Honor v/s Courage. Yes it’s the match between Australia v/s India. I have never seen Mumbai roads so alone, nor during weekends nor during festivals. It’s because the people were worshiping their religion called ‘CRICKET’ and to watch their god ‘SACHIN’ to show them another miracle as the crowd at Motera waits.
You can imagine the heat generated by people at that venue, the madness. I missed the 1st half as I was physically sitting in office, but my soul cheered for every ball. Checking out the scores through mobile, through internet, by every means where I can get the feel of every ball that is bowled. I was unlucky to see the man to who people had criticized a lot, used the tag ‘out of form’, but he stood tall. Ricky Pointing didn’t have to prove anything to the world, he just had to prove himself and he proved it very well. 23rd March 2003 was the day he made a century against India at world cup final. Today it’s 24th March 2011 and again he scored a century it seemed that nothing has changed. That man was the pillar at one end for the Australian inning while at other end it fell worse than a pyramid of cards. He won the heart of his fans; he won it again and will win it again till his last step.
I missed the moment when crowd went insane, were shouting till their breath as our god for the 1st time in this world cup walk to show his magic with the ball. There it was the real action, two masters of cricket playing against each other to continue their run in this world cup. The overs were bowled and the crowds were on its feet cherishing the clash.
As the Australian innings was about to end I hit the road on my way back to home. I was amazed with the changed face of Mumbai. All Mumbaikars rushing to their home breaking all the rules of traffic and disciplined driving for which they are known throughout India. For me it didn’t matter as I too broke the rules of traffic and the only red signal that was visible for me to stop was my Home and I had the time dead line to reach before the 1st ball is bowled.
I was well in time. Through TV I could feel the thunder as the GOD was ready for his show and entered the battlefield. The two men in blue surrounded with the yellows that were waiting to be unleashed. The crowd roared as the intensity was heard throughout Gujrat for the 1st ball that was bowled. The yellows were playing game for their respect, for their honor as they got one of our one blue back to the pavilion. It was our little master who stood like a wall against that pacer who didn’t show any mercy on their way. That man with his magic guided the other blue man, build confidence in him. It was somehow looking as if our GOD will himself guide India to the victory. But there was another man in that yellow color with same will power to win this battle, to continue his run, to maintain his honor. He played the dice very well and got our little master back to pavilion. The god left the ground with his miracle of 100 centuries to be happen, but it was some other time.
In comes the Punjab lion, the man like a nightmare for the opponents since he got out from his den for hunting after a long period of 1 year. It was again his show. He was the only hurdle between Pointing boys and their way to have another cup. But that was too high to pass. The yellow people kept on sending one by one man in blue back to pavilion. Our captain Mr. Helicopter too flew high and high back to the pavilion. The next man who got his 2nd chance in this world cup had to prove something to his captain, his selectors. He with the help of Punjab lion started to defend every of those brutal attacks. They were leading India to a fantastic win. The yellow people didn’t know to give up; they played like the match of their life. They played for their dignity, Mr. Speed Brett Lee too dived for his life saving the boundary, got blood spills out but still he kept on bowling at 155km/h speed, the speed that heart beats of every Indian watching this match. But all the fight put up by the yellow men was in vain, gone with that final blow to boundary from the Punjab lion who howl in vengeance. The howl can be heard long at Mohali where the Pakistani’s are waiting for another clash at semis. They must be feared as this Punjab lion at his own home ground. I can just pray…..may their soul rest in peace.
The devotion of god never ended after he returned to pavilion. The perfect example was about the message from Raina about his inning. He said that the man with curly hair called little master “Sachin came to me gave a hi-fi and said it’s time for you to prove.” Those lines boosted him up. So the magic of god doesn’t stop on ground it’s even effective outside it. I just hope that he put on some magic on our Mr. Helicopter so that it will help him in future matches.
The game will be remembered for that person in yellow form. Ricky Pointing as it’s his last world cup he played his crucial inning in a crucial match, what a man to watch as experts had already said before that he has kept his inning for a big match. A Salute he deserved.
All the nerves are stopped till Wednesday. The judgment day is about to come. Again it will be a war….a war more than CLASH OF THE TITANS.
