It was a feeling I had never experienced for 25 years 1 month and 29 days when I woke up this morning. No, it wasn't the drinks last night that left my head buzzing, India had lifted the coveted World Cup trophy for the first time since 1983 and I was proud I had played my part. Yes!
Though I have witnessed and for my part done numerous crazy things to ensure India wins, the World Cup and especially the final on Saturday made me realize how true 'team aise nahi jeeth thi, uskho jeethana padtha hai' was.
A colleague of mine left his desk and sat beside me for most part of the match - calm, unflustered, confident! "How are you so calm?" I asked him. He said, "My nerves are jangling inside man, but I don't want to jinx it (the Gambhir-Dhoni stand) by moving." Any questions I asked thereafter was addressed to with a similar set of words. "Don't you have work to do? "I don't want to jinx it" "Wanna go out for a break?" "No, I don't want to jinx it" "OK move, I have to take a leak" "DON'T jinx it." The guy was twice my size, no point arguing, I had to hold on.
Forget the thousands of fans in the stadium - the 12th man for Team India, forget the 11 players slogging (if Munaf and Nehra's efforts also qualify as slogging) it out in the middle, forget Kirsten and the support staff; would Team India have triumphed without the fan who is outside the stadium? The fan who is doing everything in his capacity to take us closer to victory?
I don't think so! Everyone has played their part in India's victory - from the selfless model who promised a treat for the eye if India won to temples offering special prayers for their team to win; from stars descending upon the stadium to cheer their team to the common man risking robbery, heartache and getting fired to ensure he doesn't miss a second of the game.
Some choose to not watch the match, others offer humongous bribes to god, movie stars vow to give up eating even if it was a shameless attempt to promote a movie. Every Indian prayed for a miracle ending. "He's served India well for far too long; surely it will be a deserved prize for Sachin to win" "Forget Sachin, India should win cos it's at home."
"Cricket is a religion here, and we have God. India has to win." There are also others who make plans keeping the match in mind - 'if we win we drink, if we lose we drink'. There are a million different things people do just to make sure India wins.
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