Naveen’s Journal

It was an occasion which probably comes once in a lifetime - India vs Pakistan in a World Cup Cricket Final, and no one would have dared to bite the nails in the solitude of their living rooms. So all gathered at Rahul’s place at 5 PM sharp to cheer up Team India. I left office at 4:30 sharp hoping to beat the incessant rain and reach on time. With knee deep water logged at most places, I still managed to enter the arena 5 minutes before the start of the extravaganza, and boy, was that place prepared for the match! The Indian Tricolour donning the front wall, most were dressed in blue (so was I) and eyes fixed at the idiot box as the Indian warriors descended the pitch. Each shot was followed by deafening shouts of cheer and every wicket brought pin drop silence in the room. Pulses raced as close calls were made and after a rather decent start, India started to lose it in the later stages. With the fall of Yuvraj, dejection loomed on everyone’s face as a winning target seemed more difficult.

As everyone waited for the final overs to see India make a match out of it, a thunderous bolt in the sky set the cable signals off and alas, we were left with no coverage of the match! Before we could even think of rushing to someone else’s place to catch the action, we were given a harsh reality check by the incessant rain outside - the whole of C.I.T Rd submerged in waist deep water! Even the car could not be taken out, nor was any conveyance available. So the final 7 overs we just managed to cover through live scores from the internet.

But at no cost we could afford to miss the 2nd Innings. So after the cable operator confirmed a non-resumption of services indefinitely, we set out to Nivesh’s place in heavy rainfall! A 100 meter distance was covered in about 15 minutes, as the guys had cartons over their heads. With the cellphones, wallets and other belongings already back home, no one cared getting drenched any more. As a bunch of 8 guys, with water dripping from all over them, entered the living room, we all erupted to see the back of Pakistani Opener. But soon Imran Nazir sent Sreesanth’s over for a toss and gloom prevailed. Each wicket was then cheered with a frenzied fanaticism as we inched closer to the victory which had eluded us for so long. Towards the end of the match, everyone was on the edge of their seats and every bad ball by Joginder Sharma was greeted with curses and abuses from me! But as it was destined, India won sending all of us rollicking over one another!

The scenes and sounds from out on the streets were unimaginable, as hoards of men, women and children took to the roads-turned-canals with trumpets, drums, whistles and ever-lasting songs of victory. Victory never tasted so sweet, with the victim being Pakistan and World Cup coming home after 24 years. On a day when it rained more than 200 mm, and it still continued, all of us set out for a victory lap and the scenes were amazing! Saffron, White and Green seemed to be the only colours around as we waded and chanted, giving the odd ambulance-stuck-in-water a much required push. Pictures and Video (apologies for poor picture quality, but its just a cellcam!) follow, as I was the only one carrying his stuff

Download Frenzied Celebration in Muddle!