The Cup of Good hope!

So, there it is again. The big one.The one that we've all been waiting for! Yes, I'm talking about the Cricket world cup (and not the valentine's day :P) which is steadily if not forcefully making its way towards the prime-time television slot. With the film producers and anxious parents hoping for India's early ouster from the tournament, the cup has certainly added a much needed fizz in a rather mundane year so far.

If not the common man, the students owe a lot to this tournament! The tournament is strategically planned after consultations with various educational boards which unanimously decide to schedule exams parallel to it (an excellent way to lower the scores despite setting a really worthless paper! ). I remember in 2007, when I was giving my grade 10 exams (SSC sounds too down market these days, what to do? ), my science II paper was scheduled right after the India-Bangladesh match(wherein they 'Bangla-Dashed' us :( ). So it would take little thinking to imagine my temperament the next day. Anyway, as I was saying the whole sub-continent owes a lot to this world cup.India wishes to make some quick bucks to compensate for its S-Band, 2G-Band and god-knows-what-Band loss, Sri Lanka wishes to make some quick bucks to compensate for its civil war loss, Bangladesh wishes to make some quick bucks to nullify its food problems. Pakistan,too, wanted to make some quick bucks just for the heck of it but their dreams were shattered when ICC came to know about the recent American aid which violated sponsorship clauses. Interestingly , some Pakistani players tried to 'some quick bucks' (yeesh..overdose of a phrase isn't it? ) in England but were caught red-handed when they tried to bargain for a better price.

So, where was I? Ah,yes the world cup! My word, our country never exhibits as much unity as much it does during the world cup. It certainly gets the people all over 'wee-wee'd' up! If we win, we exhibit a great unity in cheering the team and feeling patriotic.If not, well, we exhibit a greater unity rioting through the streets and shattering panes of some poor local transport buses (Great way to pave a way for new ones, see ?). So its a win-win situation for all of us! This brings me to our college. Our college firmly believes to make us withstand any situation in life, no matter how hard it may be.So it got a perfect time to teach us these noble values this semester. Benevolently, it decided to keep Saturdays working and increased one extra working hour. To stop us yielding to our temptations, the authorities also imposed a chiding fine per lecture missed.(Killing two birds with one stone,eh? ;) ) Now, thats something which will always keep us indebted to it! :D

Of all the stuff that usually happens before the world cup, I guess this time there hasn't been much publicity about it.No 'biscuit khao world cup jao' ad campaigns, no Lagaan-type films and no, for that matter, fake IPL player(so far..)! Indian team is relaxed and confident.They know they've lot of cricket to play in the coming months, so they're trying their hand at some football (irony eh! ).Australians, meanwhile have started their preparations methodically and meticulously.They've started the 'mind games' already and would take up 'Hey, this isn't school cricket,Mate!' in due course. Matthew Hayden,too, made up for his absence by publishing his autobiography,of which, if not nobody, Harbhajan Singh might certainly have a copy! Coming back to cricket, I guess, Zimbabwe, this time have got a realistic chance of winning the silverware.They're here since January and are tuning themselves to the fast and bouncy Sub-Continent tracks.Moreover, they've got none other than Brian Lara to cheer them on! I wish them luck!

Sadly(warning : your opinion may differ),the tournament that takes place after the world cup hogs much more limelight (not to mention the controversies! :D ). T20 is the newly crowned king of cricket.With the support of D&G (Dollar & Glamor) it has consolidated its position even further!And why not? These days, the slam bang-boomerang T20 outgrows even the bollywood movies, if not steady one-day cricket! So, this time, the world cup promises some hope for all! Be it you, me or the cricket itself......