Performing under pressure is the real mark of a champion...I fell in love with Gilly all over again on friday..What a knock that was! It knocked the senses out of me and I started jumping up and down for every shot that sent the ball flying or bouncing over the boundary-which meant a lot of physical exercise for me as every other ball was sent to meet the boundary....
The match started with a surprising decision by Gilly to bowl rather than bat first especially when the chargers lost the last 5 matches chasing...But the gentleman's decision was proved right (or was it right just because they won ;)) as the nerves of the semi-final attacked delhi when it lost two very early wickets...The chargers then tried everything in the book to restrict delhi to a defendable score...however friday was Gilly's day...the Daredevils' total seemed miniscule in front of the gargantuan skill of Gilly...Sehwag was in the receiving end of what he usually does to the opposition and he was flabbergasted...Every shot showed a genius in action...every ball - a yorker,short pitch, full toss, leg cutter- whatever the question was , Gilly had an answer....It was however a little sad that the magnificent journey of the daredevils to the semi-final reached an anti-climax...There was only one difference between both the teams that day- one gentleman-Adam Gilchrist!
I do sincerely hope he continues this in the final too and script the unexpected ending to a tournament in which the chargers started as the underdogs!
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Monday, March 19, 2007
Minnows and the mellows!
Bangladesh vs India what a match that was! Unfortunately it was
talked about for all the wrong reasons. To start with, a very hand
picked few actually acknowledged the splendid performance of Bangladesh.
It was heartening to see the way Bangladeshis played. Our team just
lost to a better team that day. They were better in every department of
the game. The fact that the teens intimidated the likes of sachin
tendulkar or rahul dravid or saurav ganguly, who have as much experience
as their age, with their bowling speaks volumes of the level at which
they played the game. They weren’t “minnows” in anyway it is a serious
misnomer that. Anyone who has seen them playing over the last year would
agree that the improvement in their game was tremendous. Their win over
Australia cannot be pure luck. It is just saddening to see that when an
upcoming team like Bangladesh wins over an established team, like us
for instance, credit isn’t given to their performance or competence
instead we dig into why the other team lost. Look at what they have
reduced Indians to- hoping that they don’t bat as well as they bowled or
fielded.
The only difference I saw in both the teams on that day was the attitude with which they approached the game. At no point in the game, Indians were confident that they could pull it off. Bangladeshis on the other hand exuded confidence with every ball they played. They were all over the place when they fielded. They didn’t get complacent at any point in the game giving due respect to their formidable opponent. They had the confidence in us that we could turn the game at any point, we just didn’t back ourselves. They simply didn’t give India the chance to get back into the game. As for their batting, they showed more maturity than the likes of their age aided by the fielding positions of Rahul Dravid of course. We simply dint show superiority in the way we bowled or fielded. We just didn’t have an attacking field with which we could well have defended even a total of 191. It is easier said than done. But it is India that they were playing against and they would definitely had jitters about it. And we didn’t take advantage of it. That was the only thing that was missing in our approach, the aggressiveness.
As for the reaction of fans down here, their situation is simply pitiable. They don’t enjoy the game anymore. It is always about a win. They do not give credit to the opponent, whoever it might be. This has been happening for a while and disappointment is understandable in a cricket-loving nation like ours but it is madness to take the game at a personal level and attacking the players’ homes. This way the whole essence of spirit of the game is lost. I know I am asking for a lot when I say it is high time that people change their attitude towards the game we all love so much. But it has to be done.
I am an avid fan of Indian cricket and I still believe that we have it in us to win the world cup! This is wishing them all the best !
The only difference I saw in both the teams on that day was the attitude with which they approached the game. At no point in the game, Indians were confident that they could pull it off. Bangladeshis on the other hand exuded confidence with every ball they played. They were all over the place when they fielded. They didn’t get complacent at any point in the game giving due respect to their formidable opponent. They had the confidence in us that we could turn the game at any point, we just didn’t back ourselves. They simply didn’t give India the chance to get back into the game. As for their batting, they showed more maturity than the likes of their age aided by the fielding positions of Rahul Dravid of course. We simply dint show superiority in the way we bowled or fielded. We just didn’t have an attacking field with which we could well have defended even a total of 191. It is easier said than done. But it is India that they were playing against and they would definitely had jitters about it. And we didn’t take advantage of it. That was the only thing that was missing in our approach, the aggressiveness.
As for the reaction of fans down here, their situation is simply pitiable. They don’t enjoy the game anymore. It is always about a win. They do not give credit to the opponent, whoever it might be. This has been happening for a while and disappointment is understandable in a cricket-loving nation like ours but it is madness to take the game at a personal level and attacking the players’ homes. This way the whole essence of spirit of the game is lost. I know I am asking for a lot when I say it is high time that people change their attitude towards the game we all love so much. But it has to be done.
I am an avid fan of Indian cricket and I still believe that we have it in us to win the world cup! This is wishing them all the best !
Saturday, March 20, 2004
He
When He is on the field,every Indian heart rather, every cricket fan, is
engulfed with a very natural human feeling-an expectation-for more.
When He is on the field,every heart believes it is possible because he makes every total on the board look surmountable-He gives us hope,He challenges our imagination.
Indians are always known for their spirituality.May it be a Muslim worshipping Allah or may it be a Hindu worshipping Shiva or may it be every Indian cricket fan worshipping Him.
This journey of expectations began when He first toured Pakistan in 1989.People were talking then,now they are talking again as He goes back to Pakistan after a decade and a half with a bundle of memories and memoirs.
Indians in particular have a very strange way of expressing their love-we are surprisingly cruel to the ones we claim to love the most and He is not an exception.He is undoubtedly a God to every fan out there and as a rule God doesn't make mistakes,but it should be remembered that this God is human and He can make mistakes.
Yes,expectations are present from someone who is capable not from someone who isn't,but it should be remembered that when they are not met it doesn't make the person less capable.
Yes,it is impossible to take failure and success equally,but it should remembered that it is a success or failure for Him-for every thought we spend on His game perhaps he spends a thousand.
He is not a mere mortal but he isn't immortal either.Cricket is a game of 11 not 1.
It is sad that He is being written off-He who has managed to raise every emotion in every cricket heart-ecstasy,disappointment,
Who would forget His spectacular knock against the Aussies in Sharjah,or His laudable dedication to the game when he returned to play for the country in the world cup after having lost one of the closest persons to him on this Earth-His father and still he is criticised.Yes,He definitely can be but constructively.It is but natural to be angry when expectations are not met but it should be remembered that he feels it no less.
He is an institution.Yes,even now He and no one else,will decide when the curtain descends-that is the right He has earned.We have travelled every ball with Him,sat beside Him in every innings,beheld His every spectacular shot but lets stay with Him even when He is out for a duck,when He isn't able to achieve the task we have set for Him.
Yes,our memory is full of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar but still we make room for Him because He is incomparable,unimitable and undoubtedly The best batsman that ever walked on this Earth.
When He is on the field,every heart believes it is possible because he makes every total on the board look surmountable-He gives us hope,He challenges our imagination.
Indians are always known for their spirituality.May it be a Muslim worshipping Allah or may it be a Hindu worshipping Shiva or may it be every Indian cricket fan worshipping Him.
This journey of expectations began when He first toured Pakistan in 1989.People were talking then,now they are talking again as He goes back to Pakistan after a decade and a half with a bundle of memories and memoirs.
Indians in particular have a very strange way of expressing their love-we are surprisingly cruel to the ones we claim to love the most and He is not an exception.He is undoubtedly a God to every fan out there and as a rule God doesn't make mistakes,but it should be remembered that this God is human and He can make mistakes.
Yes,expectations are present from someone who is capable not from someone who isn't,but it should be remembered that when they are not met it doesn't make the person less capable.
Yes,it is impossible to take failure and success equally,but it should remembered that it is a success or failure for Him-for every thought we spend on His game perhaps he spends a thousand.
He is not a mere mortal but he isn't immortal either.Cricket is a game of 11 not 1.
It is sad that He is being written off-He who has managed to raise every emotion in every cricket heart-ecstasy,disappointment,
Who would forget His spectacular knock against the Aussies in Sharjah,or His laudable dedication to the game when he returned to play for the country in the world cup after having lost one of the closest persons to him on this Earth-His father and still he is criticised.Yes,He definitely can be but constructively.It is but natural to be angry when expectations are not met but it should be remembered that he feels it no less.
He is an institution.Yes,even now He and no one else,will decide when the curtain descends-that is the right He has earned.We have travelled every ball with Him,sat beside Him in every innings,beheld His every spectacular shot but lets stay with Him even when He is out for a duck,when He isn't able to achieve the task we have set for Him.
Yes,our memory is full of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar but still we make room for Him because He is incomparable,unimitable and undoubtedly The best batsman that ever walked on this Earth.
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