Cricket's Dream Final - Ind vs. Pak Twenty20 World Cup 2007
I have to accept a shameful & embarrassing call on the Ind vs. Aus game. Everyone I know, following Indian Cricket predicted, India winning over Australia. It was hard for me to be as patriotic in this matter. I was thinking practical and based on past performances, Australia being world champs, I predicted India would lose.
I obviously do not know anything about how a Twenty20 game is played. I had called the Ind vs. SA game wrong too. Of course that win for India could also be due to SA being big stage chokers. But after the win over Aus, I think the Indian Team deserves 100% credit for both SA and Aus games.
I have to say, I think Pak has been a better team than India in this tournament. I will again call a Pak win over India, but deep inside, I hope I'm wrong. Third time is a charm they say, but this time I can do without the charm.
I use this platform to apologize to my co-cricket enthusiastic friends at FTL for not going along with them and rallying behind India.
My friends predict an India win, obviously, one: because Pakistan has not won a match over India in this kind of stage. I hope they are right again.
I have to accept a shameful & embarrassing call on the Ind vs. Aus game. Everyone I know, following Indian Cricket predicted, India winning over Australia. It was hard for me to be as patriotic in this matter. I was thinking practical and based on past performances, Australia being world champs, I predicted India would lose.I obviously do not know anything about how a Twenty20 game is played. I had called the Ind vs. SA game wrong too. Of course that win for India could also be due to SA being big stage chokers. But after the win over Aus, I think the Indian Team deserves 100% credit for both SA and Aus games.
I have to say, I think Pak has been a better team than India in this tournament. I will again call a Pak win over India, but deep inside, I hope I'm wrong. Third time is a charm they say, but this time I can do without the charm.
I use this platform to apologize to my co-cricket enthusiastic friends at FTL for not going along with them and rallying behind India.
My friends predict an India win, obviously, one: because Pakistan has not won a match over India in this kind of stage. I hope they are right again.
My Frustration
I'm sure folks have not forgotten, a few months ago India and Pak had a humiliating exit from the ODI World Cup. I'm sure this appearance in the Final has already wiped out any left over disappointment in the billions of commons cricket fan for each of these teams. For critics like me, it'll take a few more days.
These two teams have the greatest fans and believers any team in any sport could ever have. I can't see any better reason for them to perform at their best.
The greatest thing that has happen for these teams are the brave decisions the Cricketing Boards of these teams have taken. I'm sure their decision was based on just one thing, have youngster on the team. Young, fresh players will surely give their best for the team rather than have historic achievements behind in their minds.
It's time players of these team realize, it's all about, TEAM first.
I know the boards would have kept their fingers crossed when making this decisions, since it was very brave. The exit from the ODI world cup may have quietened everyone who criticizes the board's team picks. This time no one wanted to criticize the board picks since nothing was expected of these teams.
I think the important thing for these two teams is to get ride of rallying behind old timers just because they performed well during their hay days. It's time old timers stop messing up the sport and team just because they have to get into record books.
I think players on the verge of retirement and living on their past laurels should take a page from Jaysuriya's book. Jayasuriya is the only one who instantly comes to my mind who is a great player, old timer, who still plays just for the Team. He could easily continue being in the team just based on his past performance. I think he was the best batsmen Srilanka had in this tournament.
Anyway, by the time you all read this, I'm sure the Twenty20 Champ would have been declared. I hope it's INDIA! But think it'll be PAK.
These two teams have the greatest fans and believers any team in any sport could ever have. I can't see any better reason for them to perform at their best.
The greatest thing that has happen for these teams are the brave decisions the Cricketing Boards of these teams have taken. I'm sure their decision was based on just one thing, have youngster on the team. Young, fresh players will surely give their best for the team rather than have historic achievements behind in their minds.
It's time players of these team realize, it's all about, TEAM first.
I know the boards would have kept their fingers crossed when making this decisions, since it was very brave. The exit from the ODI world cup may have quietened everyone who criticizes the board's team picks. This time no one wanted to criticize the board picks since nothing was expected of these teams.
I think the important thing for these two teams is to get ride of rallying behind old timers just because they performed well during their hay days. It's time old timers stop messing up the sport and team just because they have to get into record books.
I think players on the verge of retirement and living on their past laurels should take a page from Jaysuriya's book. Jayasuriya is the only one who instantly comes to my mind who is a great player, old timer, who still plays just for the Team. He could easily continue being in the team just based on his past performance. I think he was the best batsmen Srilanka had in this tournament.
Anyway, by the time you all read this, I'm sure the Twenty20 Champ would have been declared. I hope it's INDIA! But think it'll be PAK.
