March 24th, 2011:
India vs. Australia If you're Indian then you know the importance of defeating world champions Australia. But it isn't just about kicking some Aussie butt, it is also all about Sachin Tendulkar wannabe, Ricky Ponting. The man is definitely one of the most disliked Australians in India. Mind you, Desi's adore Brett Lee and Shane Warne so really, it's just one man. Indians all over prayed for an Indian win simply so they could see Ponting's otherwise arrogant attitude literally flush down the toilet. But the question really was, would they do it? According to Castrol Cricket, who favored an Australian win by 56% over India, it was really going to be a nail biter. When a comparing both teams, quickly it became obvious. India may have an advantage over Australia in batting, but when it came to bowling, the Aussies are well, far ahead of us. And with the latter also having a slight advantage over the Indians in terms of fielding, it was going to take a lot more than just the prayers of a billion people. With rage in our eyes and passion in our hearts, we all sat to watch one the most anticipated matches at the Cricket World Cup.
Howzatt!* Ricky Ponting, whose last World Cup this landed up being, landed up hitting 103 pretty fabulous runs. When it comes to cricket, I have to give the devil his due and so, Ponting's 103 really did land up being quite a fab one. However, the minute he did score his century, I smiled. It was a clear indication that the Aussies were going down and thus, it was now or never for Ponting. He leaves the world of cricket in style with his century.
* And that is pretty much all we can talk about with regards to the Australian batting. No one really went on to do anything too spectacular. However, the Indian bowling was really gosh-darn
dhamakedar!
* Ravichandran Ashwin really is impressing us! A great spell with the ball taking 2 wickets, taking the vital Ponting wicket and fielding like a star has put Ashwin in a pretty favorable position in the team.
* Zaheer Khan did his thing with the ball too! 2 wickets babay!
* Hallejuah! The Indian team finally realized the need for good fielding. And they fielded like total pros. There was diving, catching, saving runs. And while we look at saving 2 runs as nothing to boast about, it is really quite remarkable on part of the Indian team who more than often get lazy when it comes to getting dirty on the field.
* And then there was Yuvraj Singh. Before I go on to talk more about
sada munda, let's just gush over his bowling. 2 wickets for the dude too! And with that, the Aussies were done. Final score:
260/6.
* Sachin T's 53 really gave the team a great start and a solid foundation. Badda-Bing! The Men in Blue were ready to win, win, win!
* It was Gautam Gambhir's 50 that really was impressive. No hanky-panky. Just simple straight cricket. Great strokes and fun
dhinchak cricket. However, he did pull a WTF moment on the team which we will get to soon.
* When it looked rather dull on the field and well, the Aussies looked on time during the Indian innings, it was Yuvraj Singh who came on board to some much needed damage control. He arrived and showed the Indian team that he can deliver when needed. With his trusty bat in hand, he played his natural game taking the game home! Not sure what made him play so gosh darn well (perhaps, a young pretty girl in the crowd caught his fancy), but whatever it is, we'll take it!
* Joining Yuvi on the field was Suresh Raina. Scoring 34, he knew his job; support Yuvi and take the time to its win. And that just what he did. He ran between the wickets, forcing Yuvi to the same, looking for opportunities where the arose. Fabulous contribution. And check out what he said about his innings. "Just as I was walking out, Sachin give me a high-five in the dressing room. I was boosted by that gesture. I knew he wanted me to win the match." Inspired much?
* Brett Lee deserves a mention for his go-getter attitude. The dude, who found himself bleeding (bleed blue baby!) after a fielding mishap, came right back on the field to support his team after he was quickly bandaged. Now that is some dedication. Good one mate!
Googlys!* Talking about Gautam, his run out was literally a case of suicide. 3 balls in a row, he decided to run without using his brain and what happened? Well, he got out! And then he walks off in a huff. Goodness, I'll never understand what he wanted. Loo break?
* Virat's unnecessary shot at a full toss was really amateur. So sad since I expect so much more from the youngster.
* The quick wickets after Gambhir was a bit worrying, no? Bang, Bang, Bang we saw Gambhir, Kohli and Dhoni crumble. Yet again, the middle order collapses.
* What was up with Ponting's outburst with Raina? While I don't mind some drama on the field, it really is unnecessary for the captain of a team to get worked up for no reason at all.
* The Aussies bowling. For all that talk about how good they are, what on earth happened?
So we won! We won! It really was a nail biter which had me going until the very end. But India did go on to create history as they ended Australia's 12 year reign as World Champs. However, it isn't over yet. India play Pakistan in the Semi's and you know that means one thing: CARNAGE. Irrespective of how crazy the public will get, it is one match that will test two of the biggest and best teams in the world. But watch out for a more detailed post about the India-Pak match tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm Bleeding Blue like no other and still high off beating the Aussies. And so I'm going to sit back and bask in the glory of it all!
If anyone in the Indian team knows how to make my heart beat, it is Sachin Tendulkar. Besides being the best in the world, he also happens to own an amazing personality, a humble heart and a cutesy smile. But what really works for me is some of his best shots. When he hits his classic cover drives, I find my heart pacing until the ball reaches the boundary line. The maestro's late cuts, straight drives and his cut shots make me want to collapse. And it's not because it's a great shot, but the manner in which he places the ball along with immense skill just works wonders for me. Add to that the fact that he bowls one hell of a legspin, and voila, the master blaster can blow you away! A great father and a fabulous husband, Sachin really is one helluva dude.
