The Cup That Did Count!!

It’s cricket all the way. While the World Cup victory is still fresh I am all geared up to welcome the IPL. Before I bid adieu to the most awesome season and say hello to the new one, I wanted to wrap it up through a post.

This post captures the highs and lows of the World Cup for me. Oops, did I say lows. I guess I will stick to the highs!! Again, I want to stress the fact that these moments, incidents or whatever else you would want to call them are just special for me. They might not appeal to all as each one would has a personal reason to why it is now a ‘moment in history’ for me.

Cricket World Cup Inauguration in Dhaka by Wizcraft

The first and the foremost moment for me was the inauguration / opening ceremony of the world cup. Being a diehard Wiz, there is no way I would forget this. From CWG to CWC, my Wizcarft had captured the arena of sports entertainment and I loved it. Ok, actually I did not rate the opening ceremony quite high, but hell, we did it! I am super proud of my team!

A befitting victory over Bangladesh

The first match and a befitting victory for Indians. I still remember how we lost to them and headed back home earlier. I was quite tensed and nervous. But, we did and set the expectations right for the world. We proclaimed our entry right away

India – England Tie

Did we fumble? Did we go wrong somewhere? I don’t know. But then, it was a nail biting match that saw Tendulkar stand tall. It’s a match I’m sure most bookies would have lost out on as no one would have expected it to be a tie!

Catching A glimpse of the stars

We bumped into Gautam Gambhir and Munaf Patel at PVR in Bangalore while they had come to watch Saath Khoon Maaf. I later read in the newspapers that they were allowed to see only 3 Khoons as they were called back to come and watch Ireland thrash England! This was not all. Managed to see Arjuna Ranatunga, Clive Llyod and Kapil Dev at the airport! So, there it goes, it had to be mentioned!

Yuvi’s 5 wickets

Not only did he prove his detractors wrong with the bat, he did so with the ball. His 5 wickets against Ireland was a true reminder to all that one can never dismiss a player without realizing his actual potential. The moment I remember is a super hyper Yuvi signally 5 to the dressing room. And yes, I did acclaim that Singh is indeed the King.

And then, we thrashed the Aussies

I was always in 2 minds about how we would overcome the Aussie mania. They were rough, slimy and annoying as usual. In reply, we were our cool selves. I loved Yuvraj’s expressions on winning the match and yes, Ponting’s too. Oh, while the match was on, I had made a comment that I want them to fall and bruise themselves so badly that they could not field. And, just then Bret Lee hurt himself. I love him for being so generous to us, for allowing us to turn the match around!

Indo – Pak Semis

Do I even need to say anything here? It was the most amazing semi final for me. I chose to not write anything beyond this as everything has been etched in all our minds

The ‘Aam Aadmi’ Game

Cricket did break barriers. One got to see Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi amidst the aam janta cheering for team India. I don’t know if this was a political strategy but then, I loved the way Sonia Gandhi, clad in a saree, jumped in joy when we won.

The Rajni and Ghajni effect

Did you read my tweets when I spotted Rajni on camera first? Well, I was super impressed. It was the Rajni Vs Ghajni moment. On one side was Rajnikanth and on the other Aamir Khan. Could we lose the match? At this point I must mention that watching the Ambanis, Preity Zinta and the others cheer was a treat to the TV viewers.

Finally, the cup was ours

MS Dhoni proved his worth in style. A befitting knock and yes, an amazing way to win the game – in typical Dhoni style. At that time, a lot of us were speechless, emotional and content. Visuals of the team made us silently shed tears of joy. Seeing Tendulkar being carried around by the team lifted the spirits even more. Yes, Kohli’s statement of why they carried Tendulkar around also made it very special. Can I forget Gary Kirsten?

Change the game ads

I loved each and every Change The Game Ad by Pepsi. The Helicopter Shot, The Upar Cut, The Doosra, Tedi Ungli, Dilscoop, Slinga and the others – will be remembered for long. I also liked the Nike Bleed Blue campaign. Yes, the ad that ESPN ran before the tournament began where Tendulkar expresses how badly he wants the world cup, also made me very emotional.

De Ghuma Ke

The song became a mantra. I loved the beats and loved the way it would sound in the stadium. I also liked it’s adaptation in the ad where the kids gear up Trendulkar for the World Cup.