My cell phone rings the default alarm tune that I'm so accustomed to now - it's 4:45 am. I'd set this alarm to wake up and go to the university to watch the final; the World Cup final! Lazily, I slide my finger on the screen, putting the alarm on snooze. After some time Neelam calls - "Arre tu uthlas ka? Mi attach uthle, toss pan zhala ani Sri Lanka chi batting ahe... mi tari atta nahi jat, nantar apli batting baghayla jain!" (Did you wake up? I just woke up, the toss is done and Sri Lanka is going to bat... at least I'm not going right now, will go later to watch our batting!) I reply in a similar manner and go to sleep, now realising that I had slept only about two and a half hours after a few late night poker rounds with the guys and then editing some long overdue photos!
After some time I finally get out of bed, determined to push sleep aside and enjoy the match. I go out in the hall where Varun welcomes me with a broad - "kya yaar kitne runs bana rahe hain!" (these guys are scoring so many runs!) Now, Varun is the kind of die hard cricket fan who can spit out stats off the top of his head and often amazes me with his micro analysis of the game. I look at the score on his laptop - this guy is watching the game online, has a couple of similar sites ready and also has just the live scorecard in another tab, in case the feed gets disrupted; he's so involved in the game that it seems like blasphemy to not be updated of the score at every ball! The Lankans are a few runs shy of 200 but knowing this is the final and with a few overs in hand we both exchange a few concerned estimates at the Indian target and he gets back to watching the match while 'facebooking' in yet another tab!
I pour out cereals for myself and sit in my room, video chatting with mom - with an eye on the scorecard. After talking for a while (read the time it takes the Lankans to reach their final score) I decide I should go to the university now to watch an exciting Indian chase! On my way out I ask casually when is our inning starting and Varun shoots back - "arre ek wicket geli pan - Sehwag" (one wicket has already fallen - Sehwag). With a total wtf tone I ask isn't there a decent gap between two innings; we've just bowled right?! "Ya, but because we took a lot of time for bowling there's very little gap before our batting. And Dhoni also has to pay some fine I think" - the cricket buff shoots me down! I had some idea about this penalty funda but now I just feel plain stupid for asking in the first place!
A few quick calls to friends (to know who's coming when) and I head for the university where a nice big hall is set up for watching the match with a big crowd. As I cross the Union building I mentally picture the whole crowd on their feet cheering and shouting for Team India, knowing that the Master Blaster would be getting in form now. I practically run the stairs up to Mathew 210. But everything is fairly quiet, people are sitting peacefully, a few are loitering around and the atmosphere is more suited to a guest lecture than the World Cup final! Neelam quickly spots me at the door and we walk to the row where they are sitting. I settle in the spot Mitali has saved and in a few seconds Amit comes and sits next to me, although with total lack of enthusiasm - not quite the guy I know! A commercial is just on so I ask the girl (in a what-the-hell expression) why is everyone so quiet. She smiles helplessly and says "Sachin chi wicket geli!" (Sachin's wicket is down!)
Shit, bullshit - we're screwed big time! I guess everyone in the hall, or rather supporters all over the world are thinking the same thing at this point! Leaning toward Amit I get the update of the part I missed while on my way here. The crowd remains gloomy for some time. The game looks so dull that we go out in the corridor to grab some food and catch up on trivial conversation. Later, Amit and I go to the back of the hall a few times to join a few others in cheering for the ones and twos and shouting really hard for the good shots. The momentum starts to pick up on the field and the crowd responds proportionally. By the time we cross 150 things look better. People jump up on good shots and boundaries get excited hi-fives! Come 200 and there's a pleasant, tumbling feeling within each one - can this really happen?!
And then the finishing sixer by the Captain; the crowd goes ballistic! Everyone is jumping in the air, cheering, shouting, hugging and practically lifting each other! What a surge of emotions, what a feeling of sheer happiness; simply euphoric. We can just not find ways to express the jubilation. After the feeling of triumph has finally settled in each one, we sit down to watch the finale - the awards ceremony; all the while still intermittently cheering for the heroes, our heroes! Calls to friends back home tell us that people are out on the streets by the thousands, celebrating the grand victory. Yes, we miss being home more than ever, we feel proud more than ever!
After finally returning to a more 'stable' state of mind, a bunch of us go to Sharma's Kitchen - a nice Indian restaurant in Lafayette. The weather is just perfect; thanks Amit for letting me drive but I am so damn tempted to take her on an open road and hit the pedal! A hearty lunch (and the very friendly Mrs. Sharma) does full justice to the celebration!
We all return home and mostly retire to a nice afternoon nap. What a day - the day we won the Cricket World Cup, after so many years and in full style like true champions!
Cheers Team India!
