Ramesh Pandita
The 44 day extravaganza of the world cup cricket culminated with its 49th and final game, played at the MCG, which Australia won by 7 wickets, outplaying the New Zealander’s in every department of the game and lifted the coveted cup fifth time, an exceptional feet. For the five time world champions, it was not an easy cakewalk, but surely in the end it was the most deserving team which lifted the championship and deserves accolades. The Australians played to their true potential, took no half measures in the big game, a total display of character and thorough professionalism, when it needed the most.
Cricket is a game of great uncertainties. The follower of the game, despite knowing very well that the pendulum in the game keeps oscillating between the two extremities of success and failure, till the last ball is delivered or the last run is scored. But that does not subvert the fact that playing in the big games has been always a battle of nerves and the one who knows how to handle the pressure situations, surely makes an impact on the outcome. The big games of big events played at bigger venues are always loaded with bigger responsibilities, where one cannot afford to take half measures, nor can one grow complacent of past their performance. The New Zealanders not just failed to put up a decent total on the board, but surely succumbed before the pressure game and despite winning 8 games in a row, failed to show mental toughness. The followers of the game all across the globe had pinned up high hopes with the first time finalists, which they indeed are capable of, but couldn’t deliver on the expected lines the day when it mattered the most. This is exactly where the Indian team suffered the other day, while playing against the same Aussies side in their semis in Sydney, where they could have turned the outcome of the game, had they kept their nerve on the big day.
The game of cricket has made such a deep impingement on the social setup of the South Asian cricketing countries that the game is followed like a religion and runs in the blood of its followers. Given the fact, the passionate followers of the game in the region are not ready to accept anything less than a victory from their cricketing idols. Even, it won’t be perhaps inappropriate to say that it is the game of cricket, which if on one hand has created a deep chasm between the two arch rivals, the India and the Pakistan, on the other hand it is the same game of cricket, which was pushed for bringing these two neighboring nations together, but unfortunately the cricket diplomacy too was questioned for its sincerity.
The cricket world cup 2015 ended on a sad note for Indian cricket fans, who by all means were expecting their team to repeat the 2011 feat. Over a billion cricket lovers of the country were left with dismay, when their team lost to Australia in semi-final and this is where the cricket followers of the country have to draw a line to understand the fact that cricket is a game of great uncertainties and is not played with emotions. This is exactly what was witnessed with the cricket lovers of South Africa during their semi-final encounter with the New Zealanders. Even the South African players could not conceal their emotions, both on and off the field.
Rain and Duckworth Lewis system has somewhat become endemic to the South Africans cricket and are perhaps the worst sufferers in the cricketing history of the world cup on this front. The 2015 world cup semi-final may have surely reminded Proteas of their 1992 world cup semi-final against the England in Sydney, their group stage game in 2003 world cup against Sri Lanka and twice in 2015 world cup, one against Pakistan, which always played spoil sport with the Proteas and kept them evading of their world cup dream run.
The way the Indian cricket team played the league phase of the tournament and won the 7 games in a row convincingly, including the quarter final against the Bangladesh, was being seen as one of the strongest contenders of the 2015 world cup. Everybody back home in India and elsewhere were optimistic about India’s playing back to back world cup finals, and nobody was expecting that Dhoni’s juggernaut will be halted in this fashion. Though winning and losing is a part of the game, but surely nobody was expecting the Indian team to lose by making such a meek surrender before the Aussies. The Indian team’s loss against the Australia in the semi-finals has not gone well with their followers. No doubt India was beaten by the best team in the semi-finals, but the way India should have played & fought the game was missing from the very first session of the game. Team India could have easily capitalized from the early breakthrough, when they managed to get rid of David Warner.
The Aussies camp surely apart from having home advantage, also enjoyed the psychological advantage against India, be it with regard to Australia’s overall performance against India or the recent triangular series played in Australia. The psychological burden was very much apparent on the Indian side. The Australian players showed no let up in their exuberance despite losing an early wicket of Warner. Even if we draw parallels between the cricketing prowesses of the two countries, the Australia is a 5 time world champion, having played in 7 world cup finals, including 2015, while as India on the other hand, a two time world champion has played in three world cup finals, if not a total contrast, but surely reflects their strengths.
The outrage against the team India by its followers for not playing to their true potential & disowning the responsibility on the day when it mattered the most will continue till the time team India gives something good to cheer about to their fans. The fact remains, the followers of the game in India have to extend their wait till 2019 world cup. Last but not the least, the passionate followers of the game have to understand that cricket is a game of great uncertainties, which is to be followed in its true spirit.
(The author is Assistant Librarian, BGSB University, Rajouri, J&K)
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