Cricket World Cup : And now the gullies come Alive

Street Cricket

During the opening match of the World Cup, India charged like roaring lions on the field and came out victorious from the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka- Bangladesh. This has infused so much enthusiasm in Indians that now they’re all set to re-create the World Cup frenzy in their own colonies.

This morning, I noticed a sign board opposite my house which propagated ‘Season Ball Cricket Tournament.’ The Vaishali Nagar Youth Welfare Association of Jogeshwari (W) has scheduled a cricket match on 31st March at Thankur Village Ground, Kandivali (E).

To bring this tournament as close as the World Cup series, there is a trophy and a cash prize for the winning team. The team which will defeat the other 7 contending teams will get prize money of Rs. 50,000. The runner-up team will receive prize money of Rs.25.000. And to ensure maximum participation, the match has been carefully scheduled after the last semi-finals and two days prior to the grand finals of the World Cup.

The World Cup has evolved from being a sport for men alone, to being entertainment for women as well! The effect of World Cup has extended from ESPN and Star Cricket, to entertainment channels like Sony. ‘Saas Bina Sasural’, a popular show on Sony is advertising for an inter-family cricket match.

Again, big boys, little boys and the home makers aren’t the only ones who are suffering the World Cup fever! Here are the students of class 12, who are cramming up their syllabus in their heads, late at night, so that they can make time during the day to participate in the mega sporting event, with their friends.

Families are also enthusiastic about the big game. They’re sitting together in their living rooms, munching garam garam bhajiyas and jumping on their couches with every sixer and boundary of India; and every fall of wicket of the opposite team!

It goes without saying that when our team shall play on home ground, the atmosphere in residential societies shall take a dramatic turn.

Victory of India on home ground will be celebrated like Diwali with bursting of fire crackers from terraces. Or even like Independence Day, with rallies of bikers spiraling around the area with the Indian flag flying tall and proud in the blowing wind!