It’s not Cricket

If something is “not cricket” it is not fair. As in, “We have waited since 1983 for India to win another Cricket World Cup. The imminent elimination of Team India from the competition is not cricket!”

With basketball providing a March Madness fever in the US, we have our own March Madness here in Bangalore with nary a Buckeye in sight. Cricket’s perennial four year World Cup contest, currently underway in the West Indies, is the stuff of headlines and street conversations. Our home team’s dismal and uneven play may soon eliminate it from the competition.

Earlier this week, Team India’s defeat to the weaker Bangladesh team transformed high hopes to dismal dismay amongst cricket fans. That dismay transformed into rage when distraught fans ransacked the under-construction home of wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Apparently the “five wicket loss to the minnows” was more than some could tolerate.

For Pakistan, their successive losses to the West Indies and Ireland meant their hunt for another World Cup championship was prematurely ended. Pakistan madness is of another order. Pakistan’s cricket coach Bob Woolmer was found murdered in his hotel room. Scotland Yard has been called upon to help in the Woolmer murder investigation.

A few days later, India gave Bermuda a thrashing on their way to establish the highest winning margin in World Cup history. A win in India’s next match with Sri Lanka would propel it to the Super8.

Having a sufficient grasp of the game of cricket, we can watch a contest with some understanding. First played in England in the 12th century, cricket tagged along as the British set about to build an empire on which the sun never set. Records show cricket was first played in India in 1761. The colonial patina of cricket in India has long been replaced by the local and national love for the sport.

A “now or never” sense pervaded Bangalore as the Sri Lankan game approached. Early headlines published before the final completion of the Sri Lankan game showed ebullient Indian players; 44 for three wickets chasing 255. Victory was possible. Unfortunately, the news that emerged the next day showed ebullient Sri Lankan cricketers and spoke more of “shameless ouster” for Team India. Two overly excited fans in Hyderabad and Ahmedabad reportedly died of heart attacks. Following a quarrel with his wife over the volume at which he listened to the game on TV, a third fan reportedly hung himself. Protests of Indian cricket fans were widespread.

There are emerging leads that may solve the Woolmer murder. Hope, too, will emerge for Team India to bat and bowl its way to another World Cup championship in 2011.