The Greatest Game Ever Played

Just a few days back, we celebrated (I hope you all did!) the 26th anniversary of India's historic and histrionic victory in the 1983 World Cup. We entered the tournament as underdogs and the English media predicted the Indian challenge to be over before the knock-out stages. Even after reaching the finals, India's chances were flinged against the might of the Windies. But destiny had already been written somewhere in the heaven. India overcame the predicament of their self-disbelief and Kapil's Devils went on to etch their names on the pages of history in golden ink.

Star cricket aired a special presentation "Remembering the Titans" as a journey down the memory lane, naming the 1983 World Cup final as the "Greatest Game Ever Played" in the history of Indian cricket. The thought of India winning the coveted World Cup, beating the formidable West Indies (the reigning champions of the earlier two editions of the event) and winning after defending a modest total of 183, were the cynosure of the celebrations on the night of 25 June, 1983. The picture of Kapil Dev holding the Prudential Cup at the Lord's balcony is ranked among the 'Most famous images in the history of Sports'.

26 years.. is a long time, but not long enough to fade the memories of the epochal moment that changed the course of Indian sporting history. Most people argue that even in the pre-World Cup era, India was a dominating force in world cricket. True! But did half-a-billion people go crazy when Kapil Dev uprooted the stumps? They do when Zaheer Khan does! Did frenzied fans used to hold up the placard saying "If cricket is religion, then Sunil Gavaskar is God!", whenever he played his signature cover-drive. They do when Sachin Tendulkar does. No offense to those great cricketers, because they where the ones who set the wheels in motion. But that match changed the perspective of the Indian people entirely. It not only gave joy to the people but more importantly, it gave them hope. It made them believe. It made cricket in India, what it is today!

Some memorable moments from India's sinuous journey to victory:

1. Kapil's knock of 175:
I've watched the recording of that innings, one of the finest in ODIs till-date, over and over again. Defeated by the Indians earlier in the league round, Zimbabwe was grabbing every possible opportunity to avenge their defeat. The Indian top-order collapsed like a row of bicycles and the team looked in deep trouble at 17/5 and then 77/8. But then came one of the greatest innings under pressure ever. Kapil Dev's 138-ball knock of 175* constituted of 16 fours and 6 sixes. He was very well complemented by Roger Binny and Saeed Kirmani's defiant innings who held their ground at one end. India put on a very good total of 266. India eventually won the match and reached the knock-out stage.

2. Greenidge's wicket by Sandhu:
Sandhu swung luck in India's favor as he rocked Gordon Greenidge's stumps with his typical banana-swing. India knew that Windies had a formidable line-up but there was still HOPE.

3. Kapil Dev's catch of Viv Richards:
Greenidge was one of the most feared batsman of those days. And so was his successor, the indomitable Viv Richards. He was well set with his speedy 33 and looked like he would take away the game from India. If not for divine providence, Richards would have hit that ball for six on any given day. "The ball was miscued by Richards and for the few seconds it remained in the air, nobody moved", says my dad who recalls the commentary that he and his friends were listening on the radio. Then came the huge roar of the Kapil Dev completed an astounding catch, grabbing the ball in a desperate effort, running backwards.

4. Amarnath's magic spell of 3-for-7:
India were looking to tighten the noose after the opposition was sent reeling at 76/6. But Paul Dujon, the West Indies wicket-keeper and Malcom Marshall held their nerves and Indians felt the game was slipping away. Then came the moment of magic. Dujon clean bowled by Amarnath on what he himself called a very poor and casual delivery. He dismissed Marshall in his next over and Kapil Dev was thinking of words to say in his victory speech. Amarnath also trapped Michael Holding in front of the wicket. Up went Dickie Bird's finger and the rest is history. Amarnath was named the 'Man of the Match' for the final.


26 years since the fateful day..... but still we feel elated just at the thought of it. Luck, destiny, effort.. whatever you call it, the truth is that 25th June will always hold a special heart of every Indian just because of one simple reason, our love for cricket. It's the one reason that brings all of us together when we keep all of our differences aside and cheer for our favorite players. When we wave the tricolor all around, when we forget that who is Hindu or who is Muslim, when we are all painted in one color.... BLUE!

कभी आना हमारी बस्ती...

A poem straight from the heart and straight to the heart...!!

टुकडों में बिखरा हुआ
किसी का जिगर दिखायेंगे
कभी आना हमारी बस्ती
तुम्हे अपना घर दिखायेंगे

होंठ काँप जाते हैं
थरथरा जाती है जुबान
टूटे दिल से निकली हुई
आहों का असर दिखायेंगे

कभी आना हमारी बस्ती
तुम्हे अपना घर दिखायेंगे ...

एक पहुँच पाता नही की
एक और छलक जाता है
पलकों से दामन तक का
इन अश्कों का सफर दिखायेंगे

कभी आना हमारी बस्ती
तुम्हे अपना घर दिखायेंगे ...

कहीं रखी है तस्वीर तेरी
कहीं लिखा है तेरा नाम
मन्दिर मस्जिद जैसा पाक
एक दीवार-ओ-दर दिखायेंगे

कभी आना हमारी बस्ती
तुम्हे अपना घर दिखायेंगे ...

अक्सर ताकती रहती हैं
सुनसान राहों को जो निगाहें
घर के दरवाज़े पर बैठी हुई
सपनों की वो नज़र दिखायेंगे

टुकडों में बिखरा हुआ
किसी का जिगर दिखायेंगे
कभी आना हमारी बस्ती
तुम्हे अपना घर दिखायेंगे...

The end of a "Thriller" era!

"If you enter this world knowing that you're loved and you leave the world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with"

• Michael Jackson

The 'King of Pop'.. The 'Moonwalker'.. is no longer with us. The news filled a sense of dysphoria among his fans across the world as they not only lost their favorite singer but also a man who redefined 'stardom'. I happened to tune into CNN and the scenes outside the hospital where MJ breathed his last and those at the Times Square in NY reminded me of JFK's assassination. No doubt that inspite of leading a life full of controversies of child , this Hall-of-Fame singer still happens to be the greatest pop-star to ever 'moonwalk' this Earth.

A few days back I read a newspaper report that MJ was planning to phase what was to be his greatest comeback to vanquish nightmares of child abuse scandal and financial breakdown. And believe me, I was not surprised to hear that all the tickets to his 50-concert marathon, which were supposed to be staged in London, were sold in few hours. Apart from his flambouyant clothing and peculiar hair-styles, he was perhaps best known for his 'break-dance' and 'moonwalk' which he immortalized. His 1983 album 'Thriller' still continues to be the highest-selling album of all times with a record 50 million copies sold. Each of his album was a smash-hit and tracks like 'Dangerous', 'Billy Jean', 'Smooth Criminal', 'Don't stop till you get enough' etched their names in history. His album had so much impact over the social scenario, particularly in US, that the period following the release of his another mega hit album 'BAD', in 1987, is usually referred as 'The Bad Era'. I remember Prabhu Deva quoting "Even if I touched Michael Jackson, I'd feel as if I had attained nirvana'.

I saw a documentary on MJ named 'Living with Michael Jackson' which was a series of interviews amalgamated into a short film. It was quite an unusual series as it showed, for the first time, MJ talking about his traumatic childhood. Although he remained reclusive on questions regarding his plastic surgeries and sexual transmutations. Born as a nigger, a child prodigy as a singer, shot to fame with his maiden album 'Off the Wall', underwent several plastic surgeries, diagnosed with vitiligo, accused of child abuse, suffered from financial calamity, lost his dream house 'Neverland Ranch' (based on the fictional place of the same name in Peter Pan's story, where children never grew up), converted into a muslim Mikel, died awash in $400 million of debt. Quite a life... Ain't it!

Many consider Frank Sinatra as the superstar in the world of music. But, no offense to Frankie, I think that Michael Jackson was the more 'popular' star... a genuine celebrity who appealed directly to the heart of his audience. Be it his peculiar style of singing or his famous 'moonwalking' dance moves, he captivated millions of hearts. And even though he functioned more as an occasional tabloid figure rather than a singer, for many of us, he was and will always be the greatest superstar of music. May God bless his soul. AMEN!

Life's small things

I want to share a fantastic story that I read a couple of days back in a book by Rev. Dr. Robert H. Schuller named "TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST, BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO!" The name was inspiring enough. A story about life, our triumphs, our struggles and the way we overcome it. A story that, though derived from a thing as minuscule and innocuous as a potato, really forces us to reassess our approach towards life. Here it goes:

The potato farmers of the US state of Idaho sort them out according to their sizes - big, medium or small, after they have been harvested. This helps them to get the maximum market dollar over their product. Its only after these potatoes are sorted, that they are bagged and loaded onto the trucks. This method has been followed for generations by all the farmers - all but one. One farmer never bothered to sort the potatoes at all and still he seemed to making the most of the money. A perplexed neighbor finally asked him, "What is your secret?" He said, "It's simple. I just load up all the potatoes onto the truck and take the roughest road to town. During the 8-mile trip, the small potatoes fall to the bottom, the medium ones land in the middle and the big potatoes rise to the top".

This is not only true for potatoes. Its a law of life. Tough people rise to the top in rough times, on rough roads. Knute Rockne said "When the going gets tough, only the tough gets going." Tough people bring out there best under adverse situations. They fight. They survive. They win. They come out on top. You'll never win a battle that you did not fight. You will never hit the bull's eye, if you never take the shot. Life's a struggle. Accept it and fight it.

Always remember - "TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST.. BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO!"

Annus Horribilis

2009 wasn't such a remarkable year for the reigning champions in most of the sports. We saw last years winners crash out of the game long before the climax could unfold. Here's a look at the Champions who couldn't make it big twice in a row:

1. Rajasthan Royals : (IPL winners - 2008 season) The Shane Warne-led team had etched a remarkable success story last year, when they started as underdogs and went on to snatch a last-ball victory from the hands of the obvious favorite CSK. But they couldn't even make it to the semi-final round in the 2009 season. Although the nerve-wrecking win in the super-over against the KKR promised a season full of high-drama cricket. But RR suffered from big players failing when most needed. And KKR managed to avenge their defeat and eventually knocking out the Royals from the tournament.

2. Raphael Nadal : (French Open 2005, '06, '07, '08) The seemingly impossible happened. The previously unbeaten Spaniard, who started the French Open 2009 in style lost to Soderling, a clay-court nobody. The Roland Garros winner for the last 4 successive years was hoping to claim the title for the fifth time and getting past Bjourn Borg's record, until Soderling guillotined the champ in a three-to-one set win. And sitting somewhere in his hotel room, Federer was probably smiling and thanking Providence for the golden opportunity.

3. Manchester United : (UEFA Champions League 2007-08) In spite of grabbing the Barclays Premier League for the second time and playing exceptionally well through the entire Champions League, they still couldn't put their hands on their 4th overall European title. Again starting as the clear favorites, Man United where undone by some excellent footballs from the Catalans, who toyed with the Reds in the final which was predominantly one-sided, after the 10th minute goal from the Barca striker Samuel Eto'o. The upto-the-mark defending from the Spanish club after taking a 2-0 lead in the 62nd minute made a mockery of the formidable Reds' strike force even with all four, Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez and Berbatov playing. But still, much more creditable performance overall.

4. India : (ICC World T20 2007) World Cup 2003 Runners-up and knocked out in the league round of WC 20007. Winners of the T20 WC 2007 and departing from the Super-Eight round in the T20 WC 2009. Looks quite similar, doesn't it! The Indians are well-known for making cricket, a game of such high unpredictability. Crushing the Aussies one day and getting toiled by Bangladesh on the other. The most favored team to win the coveted event this year as well, the Men-in-Blues failed to cash in on the huge IPL experience. And ofcourse, we all missed Sehwag.


But again , putting in the words of the legendary Sunny Gavaskar, "The virtue of a true champion is to do well in the most adverse situations". Tomorrow never dies. The sun will rise again and they will take the field once again. They may be down and out, but their spirit is never broken, for they are 'Champions'!

Mon Ami

Losing a friend is one of the worst things that can happen to you. It's probably because you lose the moments of joy or despair that you once shared with him/her. But more importantly, you lose a part of yourself, an alter ego, a person whom you confided in, one whom you could call up in the middle of the night and ask him to lend you money 'coz your father won't, one whom you can rely on for letting you cheat in the exams, one who loves for you even when you forget to love yourself.. he's much more than just another person. And when you think you're alone, when you think there's no one in this world who will stand up for you, friends can appear in the most unlikely people and open up right in front of you. So always cherish your friendship with your friends, multiply their goods, divide their bads, don't judge them and love them for who they are.

Some really nice lines I read in a book -

"WHY GOD MADE FRIENDS"

God, in all His wisdom,
made a special friend,
Someone we can count on
and on whom we can depend....
someone who will give and
share and always understand,
someone who is always there
to lend a helping hand....
And out of all things
that God could ever send,
few mean as much as having
one good and trusted friend.

This post is a tribute to Vishek Bansal - my good friend for 4 years. May God bless his soul. AMEN!!

Fingers crossed

Pepsi's newfangled ad campaign with the punch-line "Yeh Cup kahin nahi jayega" (literally, This Cup won't go anywhere) seems to be rooting well with the Indian cricket fans . This ascribes to the enormous faith, flanked by huge expectations, that the Indian supporters for the Men-in-Blues. And rightly so. The reigning champions possess a formidable line-up and a melange of players who come up to every task with great efficacy. Each player has already played in the IPL (all have played in both 2008 and 2009 seasons) recently and almost all of them were seen in good nick, whether it be batsmen or bowlers. Moreover, the team remains almost the same as it was in the 2007 T20 World Cup, only with a minor alterations.

So, why are there latent apprehensions about India's capacity to win the World Cup? Cricket gurus, experts and aficionados are all very hush-hush about Team India's potential to become the two-time winner. The only reason is, I guess, because the Indian team has not played any of the "giants" until now. Although, cricket, especially in the T20 format, is quite an unpredictable game. MSD coming to bat one-down may have raised some eye-brows, but it showed his approach - Never take your opponent lightly. But in spite of their cautious approach to both games, the manner in which India defeated the two minnows, gave a clear message that upsets do not occur everyday. MSD coming to bat one-down may have raised some eye-brows, but it showed his approach - Never take your opponent lightly.

With the tournament just opening up now, as the teams move into the Super Eight round, Team India face an arduous task ahead of them. We have already seen Australia's demise from the tournament and MS Dhoni's men will be wary of the challenges ahead. Facing host England, West Indies and South Africa in Round II, it would demand a lot from the Blues if they have to emerge on top.

Let's keep our fingers crossed..!!