Cricket... For Cricket Lovers Only

My Short Stories

The Sun’s heat was beginning to torment me. But more painful was the situation, the match was placed in at that moment. I have been a lover of cricket ever since I knew what was happening was around me… ever since the first words came out of my mouth… ever since I made the first attempt to walk. Today is a match of my lifetime… I have waited for years to watch such a match… India playing against Pakistan after twenty years on Indian Soil. The truth is “what you call patriotism” sometimes addles you. It is that which changes you from a “cricket lover” to an “Indian Cricket Lover”. This transition tends to change a few things at the bottom of the heart. That is why the heart becomes heavy when Pakistan sets a massive target of three hundred and twenty runs for the hosts on such a historical match. If alone the Indian Batsmen had not started as they had done three hours ago, I am pretty sure that the Eden Gardens would have shown its own way of appreciating the guests. The typical Indian downfall started only after the second ball of the twentieth over. Surprisingly, the task of resurrection was taken up by the captain himself. It looked as if he had to lead the team to victory (if it was really possible) single handedly. Now the match has come to its end. One over to go and ten runs needed, with only one wicket in hand. Can the skipper finish it off? Just as it was the case in my mind, tension was building all over the crowd. There was absolute silence. The first ball was a single to give the strike to the skipper. The audience gave a roar the next ball when the ball was despatched to the fence. One more boundary for a tie. Can he do it?? He knew that it was he who must do it. The captain could feel the pressure under his belt as the speedster started his run-up. “Howwzzaaat?” At first it felt as if the Captain had reached the height of confidence and hence he just could not get out. But, a second thought said that the call was a close one… a very close call… very very close. What if India loses this historic match? The captain would be blamed as if he were the sole reason for the loss. What would we, the people of this country feel on losing such a match? Wont we feel ashamed to lose one of our arch rivals on our own soil?? And remember we are at the Eden Gardens… can you just imagine what would happen at the stadium… the immediate reaction from the crowd?? Yet, I felt something more was important. I raised my right hand index finger above my head.