Some more fuel.....

Dear God,

Here's a good, able and a talented friend's contribution to all the exaggeration and furore around the battle of battles, the war of wars......

Do you follow Telugu, Dear God? If you do, you will appreciate the passion that has gone into each of the words. You will feel all the emotions that run rife on a battlefield. Somehow, this encounter reminds me of the Kurukshetra. After all India and Pakistan are long-lost cousins too!

కలియుగంతమును తలపించు మహాసంగ్రమము జరగనున్నది!

సప్తసిందు క్షేత్రమైన పంజాబ్ రాష్ట్రమున మొహలి లో భారత్ మరియు పాకిస్తాన్ మధ్య ఒక చారిత్రాత్మక యుద్ధము జరుగాన్నున్నది!

దాయాదుల పోరు తిలకించుటకు యావత్ ప్రపంచము స్తంభించి ఆట స్థలమునకు పరగులు తీస్తున్నది. తక్కిన వారు దూరదర్సినులను కళ్ళార్పకుండా తిలకిన్చేదారు !

సచిన్ సెహ్వాగ్ లు భీమార్జునులు, ధోని కృష్ణుడి గ అవతరించి సుయోధన సేన ను అడ్డుకునే సంనహములో యుద్ధ వ్యుహములను పన్ని గెలుపు దిశగా తీస్కుపోవుటకు సర్వం సిద్ధం

మరి ఈ మహాసంగ్రామ ఘడియలు తిలకించి యుద్ధ భేరి ని ముక్తకంతం తో మొగించుటకు సిద్ధమ! రండి పాకిస్తాన్ ఆటగాళ్ళ గుదము భాగములను భారత సేన చీల్చి చండాడుట చూడండి!

The mother of all battles!

Dear God,

March 30/2011, the day when battle lines will be drawn, conches will be blown and war cries will peak. The world will witness a war between two Super powers – India and Pakistan.

Ok, that was dramatic! Sorry… It is difficult to stay away from all the hype TV and other media generate every time we meet. At work, we’ve been discussing the impending “Mahasangraam” and cries of “Har Har Mahadev”. I can picture the scene as I write.

Add to it, as per News channels, Mohali was sold out the day counters opened. There’s not a Hotel that can provide for accommodation within 80 Kms, can you beat that? Ever since India moved to SF, every channel has been covering past encounters, interviewing people from both sides, provoking some to play on each others’ minds etc.

Amid all this, the “warring sides” appeared to be conservative on their comments except for Shahid. I believe he has stated that he will make it tough for Sachin to score his 100^th ton. Yeah right!

I only wish we met at the Wagah Border. What a treat that would be!

Okay, before I let my imagination run any wilder, let me sign off God.

Har Har Mahadev!

“The Blue-blooded bloody nothings”

Dear God,

As it is, I was rather livid when England made it to the QF. What, exactly what did this side do to feature in there is beyond me. Hardly challenged, a handful to recommend and definitely not ones that can cause upsets or change equations, they did not deserve to be there.

I must admit though that they did provide some entertaining episodes during the leagues, especially the Tie against India and their loss to Bangladesh. Versus WI, they won only because WI threw away the match...

To add to my ire, Atherton had the gall to say that his country played “top-class Cricket in the run-up to the Quarters”, CRAP!!!!! Either he is in the wrong job or just a fanatic that found a place in the box by virtue of his past glory. Not surprising then that they met their fate with SL beating them to pulp.

My heart goes out to you O! Britannia, for you don’t appear to get any closer to the WC glory anytime soon. Go home, Barmy!

Cheers to that…

The "Sneak-ins"

Dear God,

At the end of the leagues, I had a weird feeling that three teams - WI, NZ and Eng moved into the QFs rather easily. None of them was really challenged...I guess, thanks to the WC 2011 format.

And so, based on the above assumption, I had scripted, in what seemed to be a natural progression then:

QF1 - Pak v. WI - Pakistan

QF2 - Aus v. Ind - either way or that (70-30 though in India's favour)

QF3 - NZ v. SA - SA.

QF4 - Eng v. SL - SL

Clearly, the three 'sneak-ins' would be trampled, I thought, and so the SF was clear - Pak, SA, SL and Ind or Aus.

However, a rude shock was provided by the Kiwis in their clash against SA. What a treat! I cannot recall the last time I watched a fixture that was won purely on superlative fielding and sheer discipline in attack. Every member in the NZ was a man with a purpose that day. Amazing how they didn't let some of the best batsmen in the world - FAF Plessis, Kallis, De Villiers and the like move out of the crease. Boundaries were too far and too few in between. And Oram, good old Oram, felt so good watch him regain form. Outstanding bowling figures!

So, so far barring that one game, I have been able to, like many, script the progress of this Cup.

The mother of all matches is due Wednesday, Mar 30 2011. Boy! what a mouth-watering treat that one's going to be....

They don't have screens at work, God. What do you do - your entry would be free of cost at Mohali, wouldn't it? ;-0