And for a Friday ….as India retains the T20 World Cup ….: second consecutive win ….. this time as Host country …… some thoughts …. some musings……
Cricket is no longer just a sport in India …….Indians are divided in countless ways …. by the cuisines they enjoy Veg vs Non veg , by languages as diverse as Kashmiri up North to Malayalam in deep South , religions … every major & minor religion of the world has its representatives in some or other part of India , Sunnis , Shias , Bohris, Sufis , etcetc, Catholics, Protestants , Syrian Christians, Jacobites etcetc add on so many more Sikhs , Jains , Jews ….. & all hues of Hindus …….Whilst India can be seen thru any of these divisions …… the one phenomenon which unites & binds them all together……the Fevicol glue ……in India ….is CRICKET …… Irrespective of religion , language , caste , ethnic, economic or any kind of division …….,on Sunday 8 th March as Sanju Samson & Abhishek Sharma recorded their highest Opening partnership against the hapless New Zealanders ……..1,25,000 spectators who had packed the Ahmedabad stadium …… were all rising in unison … cheering the Openers ………a staggering …..unbelievable 8210 lakhs ( 821 million people across the globe) were concurrently watching JioHotstar glued to their TVs…….the winning Indian teams & their support staff have rightly earned a staggering 153 crores as Prize money from ICC & BCCI ….. not counting the huge gifts & rewards the players will get from their state , district & ward associations & admirers ……..
Cricket in India has developed into a truly National phenomenon….. with boys & girls starting coaching at ages 4&5 with academies across not only big cities but villages & small towns …….. human stories abound around the superstars of the World Cup ……. Sanju Samson the POT ( Player of the Tournament ) son of a Delhi Police Constable from Vizinjam in the suburbs of Trivandrum…….Jasprit Bumrah POM( Player of the Match ) who lost his father as a young boy … brought up by his Mother … practising in the streets of Ahmedabad …. spotted by John Wright & recruited into IPL team -Mumbai Indians in 2013 is today the Worlds Best Bowler in all formats of the game …… Rinku Singh the swashbuckling finisher & electrifying fielder ….. son of a ordinary Gas distributor labourer … who inspite of his limited resources ensured his son could coach with the best ….….rose to be in Team India …… & alas on the day he came & joined the Team for the final.in Ahmedabad ….he was gulping the deep sorrow of his father’s bereavement …….every player has a story to tell & the eco system around Cricket broadcasting & Social media has grown huge ….. next will be the IPL commencing on 28 th March …..its an economic Multiplier & a big contributor to India’s GDP thru Sports … hospitality , travel & merchandise …..
India …….the soon to be third largest economy in the World can afford to have its own home grown Sport …… Cricket….. an economic miracle …… let’s all support & enjoy the game …….. the sporting way ….. the Indian way …. the SEEGOS way.