It was a Sunday that will be long remembered by sports fans in the country for two reasons. One for the brave run of badminton star Lakshya Sen in the All England championship which sadly did not end the way he and his followers would have liked and the other for the way the T20 world cup final had ended in tune with the dreams and aspirations of the myriad cricket fans! Whether one accepts or not, cricket to India is like football to Brazil where the expectations play a big part and more often than not, big moments have been in sync with India’s cricketing ambitions. But then success need not always end in trophies and applause as it happened around two years ago when India, bristling with confidence was outplayed by Australia in the ODI world cup final! It was a stunning anticlimax but that was it, records will not reflect the true strength or standing of India.

Cut to the present and at the same venue with a packed attendance in the one-lakh capacity Narendra Modi stadium (the biggest cricket facility in the world) and what is more a similar occasion, a final of a hugely followed contest. Only weeks earlier the same venue had seen South Africa give a minor dent to India’s run in the world cup, meting out a defeat to the host in the Super eight phase. That had caused a scare but India overcame that and came back strongly and with surcharged eagerness, it would seem to complete a task unfinished. Suryakumar Yadav and his men, the Men in Blue as they are famously known now, panned out just what was the popular demand and in style too. The night sky lit up with firecrackers and a roar shot out that would have been heard all over Ahmedabad for an accomplishment that happened to raise the stock of Indian cricket even more high.

To silence the massive crowd, just as the way the Australians had done earlier was New Zealand’s game plan but in the end the occasion silenced the visitors totally. From a slip to a crash, the black caps were blown away on a night where the Indians would do nothing wrong. Not that the Indians were at any stage of this tournament lacking the intent but the big ask was to play to potential. As it happened, the Kerala star, Sanju Samson, whose batting skills have been a revelation, was to show the way, as he had done lately. The freedom and the ability to strike were to the fore, inspiring his colleague Abhishek Sharma, the man with a golden bat but sadly rarely displaying that. Once they got set, piled up runs, happy feelings as reflected in the galleries set in. A good total was raised but this is a kind of cricket where a ‘good total’ can be a misnomer. For, such is the impact that the bat can do on the ball that impossible can turn possible.

New Zealanders are known for their fighting spirit. In any case any team that can have the calibre to reach the final are sure to give their all to reach the final destination and aspire for the big moment. The Black Caps had in their midst batsmen capable of sending the ball into the crowd with insane regularity but as it happened the Indians quelled them to submission with not just bowling sharpness but fielding too. If Jasprit Bumrah led the charge to prove he is today the best in this business of fast bowling then fielder Ishan Kishan showed what sharp catching laced with acrobatic lunges, can do in the final analysis. The two had the vast gathering up on their feet repeatedly and that is what adds to the settings other than the gruelling contest of wits in the middle. As it happened the proceedings coursed to a brilliant finish as far as India was concerned to make it an unforgettable Sunday night for Indian cricket and perhaps Indian sports in general as well.

But then for all this what an unceremonious start it was for this edition of the World Cup! As they say politics and sports should never be mixed but at times the unexpected happens. As it did this time with Bangladesh pulling out and Pakistan trying to give another angle of concern with its acrimony. On the eve of the World Cup, there was enough talk of an India-Pakistan contest being the highlight etc. Both being in the same group a meeting in the initial phase was laid out only nobody had thought there would be much off the field. But the much talked about contest came about in Sri Lanka and the way India laid to rest all arguments on which team would excel, the focus changed. And we know now what the ground reality is when it comes to the fortunes of the two teams. Perhaps the biggest upset of this event was the early exit of Australia, ever a dominant team but was sadly a totally off-colour lot this time. The performances of the lesser known or Associate teams did have some positives, it must be said. Zimbabwe and Nepal are the ones that came into notice. With the sport growing wide, chances of stiffer competitions and added excitement in the days ahead are big possibilities.

The Sunday joy could have been greater if only Lakshya had taken the crown in the prestigious All England event. Even in defeat (his second after 2021) it was a masterly show, beating some of the best in the sport to make it to the final, fully worn out physically. There is promise that he too, like the way the cricketers had done, come out with his best version before long.

© Mathrubhumi English