India lost to the minnows Bangladesh in their first match. Well, I was disappointed but not distressed. After all, in 1983, India were the minnows who beat the world champions and brought the trophy home. Why did we cheer them then? Because it was us who were victorious, and David had beaten Goliath. But now, when the tables are turned on us (by the way, we're not even the world champions for a good two decades), the entire nation goes into deep depression. And then we go out and burn effigies and destroy houses of the same cricketers who we had made deities.
By the way, this has not happened just because we've been beaten by Bangladesh; the same thing happened in the last world cup when we were beaten by Australia. We've completed the journey of being beaten from A to B; Canada must be smacking its lips right now, and I don't even want to think how long Zimbabwe would have to wait. The journey, it seems, has just begun, and our nation's patience is already running low.
Somebody edify me - why do we behave like manic morons everytime our nation loses in the world cup? And why do we suddenly have equally moronic memory lapses, when the team performs well in the next encounter, and we go back to singing their praises. I guess that in India, cricket has truly become a religion that thrives on the high hopes of its devotees. When the hopes of a billion people are dashed to the ground in an unexpectedly unbelievable fashion, the volcano erupts. And when their hopes are given the wings of victory, they feel blessed by divinity itself.
That is exactly what happened when India beat Bermuda (Omigosh - their name also starts with B; thank God Bangladesh beat them to beating us first) by over 250 runs in their second match. Records tumbled in the match, and it had to be nothing less to appease the wrath of the believers in the Gods. 413 - a record total by any side in a world cup match. 257 - a record margin of victory in all ODIs till date. 18 - the highest number of sixes hit by a side in an inning (though, here India equalled Australia's record). So, the hopes are alive again, and one can again hear the feverish chants of the chaste.
But the task is not complete, and we will not be able to rest even if we defeat Sri Lanka on the 23rd of March. The most anticipated - and most likely to be watched by every single Indian (this would have not drawn even a single viewer or an advertiser till India lost to Bangladesh) - match in group B has suddenly become Bangladesh vs. Bermuda on the 25th. What a twist in the tale! However, I don't think any advertiser is going to touch them till the 24th; because if India loses to Sri Lanka, nobody will watch it. But, if India does keep its hopes alive by winning, the 24th is going to see blood on the dance-floor as every advertiser worth his last penny rushes to buy ad-space. I don't think we'll ever be witness to such an anti-climax in marketing ever, ever again. But such is the joy of cricket.
The cuppa that will cheer India seems nowhere in sight at the moment, and it would need a giant effort if we are to bring it home. The one billion Indians at home are praying hard. Now, it is time for the 11 Indians on the field to play hard.
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