World Cup Victory - an Epic Encounter

Any Sports Final, has its own importance. When It is Cricket Final, it gains more momentum. When the Final involves your own country team, It achieves Ultimatum. When the Final has two of the most thrilling countries and arch rivals, It becomes Millenium Match. When That Cricket Final involes "INDIA" and "PAKISTAN", it becomes Life Time Achievement.

I am thrilled to announced that I was the Witness of that game and saw each and every ball LIVE, just 100 centimeters away from eyes. I wanted to write this the moment the game finished. But I was in the different mood when the game got over. I was furious, I was unhappy that few people who are Indian Citizens were not watching this game. I even had one of my friend talking with me next day, about India winning the World Cup, and I couldnt help noticing myself, that person got the news from someone else.

I understand, there are not all the people who could get the opportunity to see this game but not even following the score on cricinfo or not even knowing there is this Epic Encounter is taking place is just shows that "Money has taken the joy out of their lives".

Well, India is a grown up country now. To Build any nation, you need some kind of uniqueness to survive. During 1900' to 1947, People got united to fight against English People because, they wanted "Freedom". After achieving that freedom though, India is better known in the world for "Unity in their Diversity". If you look closely and try to find few answers, there is nothing which is common in between this people.

So , I ask myself a Question, What is their which gets the Tricolor flying high. Languages are different, Movies made are different, Music is different, Culture is different, Food is different, Religion is different, Each and every states problems are different. One State has too many water the other one lacks the Water. One State has IT growing , the other has Manufactring Factories growing. It still amazes me, How India stays United???

The moment Sreesanth took that catch, Pandits from Kashmir, Tamilians from Rameshwar, Bhaiyya's from Bihar, Aasamese from Shilong, Gujju Kaka from Kadiavaad, Reddy's from Andhra or Marwari's from Rajasthan, They all must have up on their Feet. They all must have rised, They must have forgotten their own worries for that one cherishable moment. The moment which will go down in the Records Book, The moment which will be said in thousand different ways. The moment that will be descibed for the younger generations to come.

In 1983, When Kapil Dev lift the World Cup, Ever since that day, From the village to the Raw city of Mumbai or crowded city of Calcutta, Ever person used to lift the ball and say, "I wanted to be Kapil Dev", or " I want to Win World Cup". That moment came true for Zharkhand Bike Boy, "Mahendra Singh Dhoni".

Entire game was a experience of a life time. This Experience could be best described like Winning an OSCAR for a young Director, or Touching the Land of Moon for an Astronaut or for some village worker to be a Prime Minister of a nation. This is not ordinary experience. Not every person can dream of this and not every person achieves this dream. It is one in billion who gets the chance. But Millions of people get the chance to watch this game, and I could just feel sorry for the people who just missed that chance or didnt wanted to take that chance.

Best of the game was, The night before the game I was just thinking what a game I am going to witness and both the teams didnt disappointed me for a bit. I knew, If India wins the toss, they are going to bat first and thats what happened. I was guessing Sehwag and Agarkar would not be in the playing XI and thats what happened. I knew either Gambhir or Uthapa would rise to the occassion and Gambhir did. I knew Yuvraj or Dhoni (but not both) would struggle to get the runs and thats what happened.

What I did not thought was the Opening Combination and surprise entry for, Yusuf Pathan. I admit the moment I saw his coming with Gambhir, Tall Giant Figure, I thought this is our reply to Shahid Afridi. From the very first ball, the missed runout chance, set up the game brilliantly. It was just to show the High Time Drama has began.

Gambhir was phenomenon. He was striking the ball with the proper shots. After the First Move of having different person of the top of the order and getting the key 30 runs in less than 4 overs went to India, Pakistan bounced back strongly. Second Key Move of the game was when Yuvraj came to bat, Shoiab Malik introduced, Two spinners. Afridi and Hafeez, Having those two spinners bowl to Yuvraj, was a brilliant move. It took Indians by surprise and after that It took them lot of time to bounce back.

In 20-20, you dont have time to think and attach back. You have to reply to those moves quickly with your moves. Fortunately Gambhir kept going and little partnerships with everyone made sure that India would not collapse, but it was surely looking like a very small target to get and not close to 180 as everyone thought.

But, Full Marks to Man of Mumbai, Rohit Sharma. That kid showed tremendous amount of improvement with the experience of just 2 tours. His knock kept India in the game.

However the Total was not so large enough to defend. Pakistan had a good line up and I thought and so is Dhoni, that key to Victory would be the Wickets. This shows, no matter how much you cut short the game, and no matter how many people say it is a BATSMAN;s game. It is always the number of Wickets which is key. In any game, the moment you bowl 3, or 5 wicket taking balls, pressure would add up and the side would crumble.

Two moves that defined the second half. One was Pakistan thought Afridi would be the key and India thought Harbhajan would be the key. At the end of 12 overs, the game not won by either of the side. It went on to India's favor when Afridi got out cheaply and Pathan bowled the spell of the game. However, it quickly went to Pakistan;s favor when Harbhajan was hit for 3 sixes in an over.

I think, this 20-20 game, relies a lot on the number of sixes you hit. Not the number of boundaries but the number of sixes. 3 sixes in one over, If you have 3 overs like that in the game, Done Deal.

Last Over, Key Over, What a decision to make. If that shot from Misbal, would have cleared Sreesanth, the whole world who is praising Dhoni rightnow, would be cursing him. Captainship is not an easy task, It is a task, where you just rely on Luck and hope that the moves you make really work. Every captain and coach tries from their end to write a successful script, but very few achieves them and those who do, Goes in the Record Books.

I am just happy to put a check mark in the Microsoft Excel of my life, that I was happy to witness this epic encounter.