Thank You

Thank you Mahendra Singh Dhoni for everything. Superlative captain, fair and just leader. You make me proud.

Thank you Sachin Tendulkar, for being such an exemplary player. India is proud that you are an Indian.

Thank you Gautam Gambhir, Oh! what nerves you truly have. Thanks for refusing to take any unnecessary risks. But Why Oh! Why did you choose Pereira of all people to lose your wicket to?

Thank you Virender Sehwag, for all the entertainment you provided. Be it your 175 against Bangladesh or you super cameo against Pakistan or even your on field antics

Thank you Virat Kohli, for just being so strong willed, for all the partnerships and for also having the nerve to tell Sachin that he actually, is out. I see a bright future for Indian cricket in you.

Thank you Suresh Raina, for your electric fielding (your influence even made Ashish Nehra field (a feat!)) and your gritty knocks against Australia (loved the way you smacked Lee’s short balls to boundaries) and Pakistan

Thank you Zaheer Khan, for being the bowling captain and for making things happen when nothing seemed possible

Thank you Harbhajan Singh, for remembering that you actually can bowl and take wickets too

Thank you Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra for lifting your bowling at the right time

Thank you Ravichandran Ashwin for making Bhajji look pedestrian and teaching him how it’s actually done (read carom ball)

Thank you Piyush Chawla, for being the team’s lucky mascot.

Thank you Yusuf Pathan, for making me miss Raina more than I ever thought I would

Thank you Shantakumaran Sreesanth, for fielding better than bowling and being a nuisance in general.

Thank you Yuvraj Singh, for becoming the all rounder India never had. I stand corrected you are the BEST.

Thank you Gary Kirsten, you Sir are AWESOME. RESPECT

Love,

A cricket crazy Indian.

We Are the Champions

“I've paid my dues -
Time after time -
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime -
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I've come through

We are the champions - my friends
And we'll keep on fighting - till the end-
We are the champions-
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions - of the world “

Yes yes yes Indians are the WORLD CHAMPIONS. I am a World Champion. We thumped Sri Lanka to win by 6 wickets and 10 balls to spare  My Captain and his boys have done what I thought I would never see in this lifetime. I have waited 15 years to see this day. Today I am living my dream. Now I have a dozen cricket stories for my children and their children too. I am going to bore them with “You know in 2011 when India won the world cup…”. Men in Blue have ensured this generation bragging rights for the rest of their lifetimes. No Khans, No Gandhi’s we swear by Dhoni.

Thank You Team India. You were magnificent!!!!!

Aashayein.. World Cup 2011 A Dream

“Teri woh raftaar ho (Such should be your pace)

Roke se bhi tu na ruke (That even if stopped you shouldn’t stop)

Haasil kar aisa shikhar (Achieve such heights)

Parbat ki bhi nazarein uthe” (That even a mountain has to look up to you)

On Wednesday India defeated Pakistan to reach the finals of the ICC World Cup 2011. There is tremendous pressure on the team to win the cup. As an avid cricket fan, I honestly was surprised to see my team enter the finals. I mean it’s not the best unit in the world in terms of defense (bowling and fielding) yet it managed to conquer such heights. Before the tournament started India was touted as the favorites (reasons for which failed me completely) but as the league games started the “favorites” tag started to lose some shine thanks to some patchy performances by the Indians  and also because of  our awful media(they honestly have verbal diarrhea). But somehow the Team has managed to win and come out trumps in all the crunch matches. So what makes this team tick? How can they possibly win against some of the best teams in the world?

I would like to give a lot of credit to the players and the captain. They know their strengths and weaknesses more than you and me. They try to play their strengths and more often than not have been successful. I as an Indian am proud of my team and what ever they have achieved so far. They have given me a tight slap on the face for not believing in them and their abilities. I am really happy that they have made it so far. Even if they don’t win tomorrow it wouldn’t make me unhappy. Yeah! It would be great to have the cup in India in the hands of one of the best captains of the Indian Cricket Team but no matter what happens I stand by them.

My message to Team India – Go and play your best. Race the odds and better your own performance. You are your toughest competitor. Good Luck.