Day 495

 I wonder what to write today. In my last post, I wrote about the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. I was very hopeful and enthuastic about India’s winning this time. It was my expectation that India will face Australia in the final. Actually, it was repetition of the 2003 edition of the same tournament. In the last 20 years, Indian cricket has changed a lot. So, I was hopeful that this time, Indian team will be victorious over Australia and will lift the world cup. 

But my dreams were shattered. Australian team showed excellent fielding and bowling skills and when it came to batting they outshined every other thing. Well, this wasn’t in my expectations. I admit that I was really hurt to see the downfall of the Indian batting line in the way it did. But I was expecting that our fielding and bowling has been of top quality in the entire tournament. I was hopeful that our bowlers will do the miracle and will restrict the Australian team. But unfortunately, 2023 World Cup final truly turned to be replica of 2003 World Cup final. 

Like every Indian, I’m still unable to come over from the shock that we got on 19 November 2023. Actually, as I said, Indian cricket team played very well and every department was doing excellent work. Including the finals, Indian cricket team played total 11 matches in which they won 10 matches. Every player put their maximum effort in the tournament that’s why they were undefeated in the entire tournament. 

But don’t know what happened in the final match? Where we lacked? What were the things which stopped us from being the victorious in the finals? Well, its time to think again that where we have lacked. How the undefeated team faced the defeat in the most important match? I don’t know that when will I be able to see Indian cricket team wining the world cup again?

Day 494

 I know it has been a long time since my last post. I think it's about nine and a half months. Time indeed heals all the sorrow and wounds but it's also true that sometimes time gives sorrow and wounds which aren’t meant for recovery. That’s why in these nine and half months I didn’t write a single word despite having tons of topics to write about. 

Well, I was thinking about the right topic to start writing again. I was brainstorming about where to start from. Suddenly, I realized that in India for the last month, crazy with the ongoing Men’s Cricket World Cup. Actually, it’s the first time that India is the solo host of the entire World Cup. Previously, in 1987, the Cricket World Cup was co-hosted by India and Pakistan and again in 1996, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka were the host. This trend was followed in 2011 when India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh jointly hosted the World Cup. But this time, all the matches are being held in different stadiums across the length and breadth of India. 

Every edition of the Cricket World Cup is different from its previous version. But in all the versions, the energy amongst the viewers and fans of the respective teams reaches its peak when the team wins or is on the verge of winning. But in the last edition of the Cricket World Cup, according to me, everything was perfect until the last moment. Whatever happened at the end of the Final match in the 2019 Cricket World Cup wasn’t logical or fair. At least, I think so. I don’t know what logic was used to declare England as the winner based on hitting more boundaries than New Zealand. If no final result came out, then the same match would have commenced the following day with a fresh start. 

I don’t understand why ICC didn’t pay attention to this option. Now I think that the mistake committed four years ago is irreversible and it will be remembered as a mistake in the future. 

But the way the Indian Cricket team is playing right now is making me very proud. I think this is the sentiment of every Indian with the performance of the Indian team in the current situation. I’m very hopeful that this time once again, the World Cup will be ours for the third time. But still, we have one more league match left before the Semi-Final. Then we have the semi-final before the Final. Then the Final is the last stop. So, in total, we have three more matches to win before laying our hands on the World Cup. 

As I said I’m very much hopeful that the cup will be ours, so I’m wishing the Indian team will be victorious in all the coming three matches. However, only the Pakistani Cricket Board is crying about the defeat they got from the Indian team. I think that’s nothing new for any cricket lover. Actually, the Pakistani Cricket Board and Pakistani Cricket team can’t digest the defeat they always get from the Indian Cricket team. I think they do it deliberately to gain some limelight. But that doesn’t matter. 

The thing that matters right now is that the Indian team has to continue with its current form. The Indian batting order is well-balanced and the Indian bowling line has become a nightmare for the opponent teams. In the current World Cup series, other teams have scored well. Few of them have scored pretty high scores, and some run chases have been quite an exciting and nail-biting experience for me. But when those teams have played against India, their batting lineup has surrendered in front of the Indian bowling line like a house of cards getting blown up against the wind. 

Anyway, I can say now that it's time to dream and wish again to have the World Cup in our hands for the third time. With this good wish, I’m ending today’s post. Keep watching the World Cup and keep backing up the Indian Cricket team.