In 1984 Akola got the Television Transmission, and all the Cricket Fans were glued to the TV during the 1985 Benson and Hedges Mini World Cup which India Won under Sunil Gavaskar. Ravi Shastri was rewarded an Audi for his Man of the Series performance.
But there after then Indian Team has never given that joy to the country. We reached very near in 2003, but the Ricky Ponting Tornedo wiped out the Indian Dreams. I was told that in Akola before the finals huge arrangements were made in a Ground with a Giant Screen, Firecracker Chain of around 1 KM, Sweets, Loud Music etc etc. Not to tell all the Cricket Enthusiast of Akola had come to that ground, but unfortunately they got to cheer or celebrate only twice through out the match. When Gilli and Hayden got out. Thats it!! The entire rest match was a one side show of Austratlia.
In 1987 and 1996 versions,both in Indian Sub continent, we reached to the Semis and lost it badly. Irony is the Indian Team performed like champions in the match just ahead of these Semis in both versions. In 1987 it was a match against New Zealand in Nagpur, where Sunil Gavaskar scored his first and the only century in ODIs (yes, he just has one century in ODI) and in the same Match Chetan Sharma took a Hat Trick by taking 3 Clean Bowled and then we lost to England in Wankhede at Mumbai.
In 1996, we defeated Pakistan in Bangalore. The highlight of this match was a quick 30- 40 runs scored by Ajay Jadeja and then the spat between Aamir Sohail and Venkatesh Prasad. India did a great job and everybody was hoping for an even better performance in Semis which was at Eden Gardens, the favourite ground of the then Indian Captain Azhar.
The start of the Semi was the best that Indians could have asked for. Both of the Lankan Pinch Hitters Kaluwitharna and Jayasurya got out within 20 runs. The third wicket of Gurusinghe fell before 50, so everybody was assuming India to be in Finals at Gaddafi in Lahore. But then Man of the Match for Semis and Finals Aravinda Desilva came followed by the Captain, Arjuna and took away the advantage from India. Later from 98 for 1, the Indian batting line up did a "Harakiri" after the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar. The famous Calcutta crowd started rioting in the Stadium itself and the match had to be awarded to the Lankan Team, who went on defeated Australia in the Finals.
It was this match, that turned off the Die Hard Indian Cricket Fan in me. Earlier I used to wach the entire matches of India, but after this match I just lost the interest. But the Indian Cricket Fan, doesn't die totally. Everytime the World Cup is around, my mind starts visualising Indian Team picking up the World Cup. And this time around, it has already started visualising India in Finals at Wankhede. Sachin hitting a Century and then Dhoni raising the World Cup and then handing over it to Sachin.
Come On Team India!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gear up!!!!!! Put your best efforts. You need to win this WC!!! If not for the nation, If not for cricket fans like me, If not for anything else, at least Win it for the Master Blaster, The Little Master, The God Himself, Sachin Tendulkar.
He is the reason, why many of you are playing in the World Cup Sqad. He has been the inspiration for many of you!! And this is just the one feather missing from his Cap. So Go For It Team India!!!!!!!
Best of Luck! YALGAR HO!!! AAKRAMAN!!!! HAR HAR MAHADEV!!! JO BOLE SO NIHAL, SAT SRI AKAL!!!
LET THE WORLD CUP BEGAN
