The World Cup win by India was too big an occasion to pass by without a post from my side. So here goes.
Twenty twenty has hovered around the cricket scene for some time but had failed to grab international attention. It’s a known fact that no phenomenon in cricket can hope to find its place in the sun unless and until it has the blessings of the Asian viewer and fanatic. So, having said that the T20 World Cup was a great step by the ICC to push the concept forward, an India – Pakistan final was an absolutely God-sent opportunity for the sport to burst into international spotlight. The format definitely has its plus points. The shortened duration and innovative rule book brings the game of cricket, traditionally seen as a dour game of the classes, almost on an even keel with facts-paced games like football and basketball. The fact that you can get over within three hours with so much excitement appeals to the present populace to whom the busy daily schedule doesn’t accord much free time. Many people were unaware of the bowl-out rule before the Indo-Pak match, and there were many animated discussions later on as to how a cricket match was won 3-0. The 270 odd sixers hit during the tournament were an ultimate treat and the info bars displayed entirely new types of statistics about players like the longest six hit and time since the last six. Statistics like number of fours and economy rate were in a state akin to Ustad Bismillah Khan, once jewels in the crown but now pushed into ignominy. The Yuvi scorchers would ever remain etched in everybody’s, particularly Flintoff’s mind. And last but definitely not the least, the cheerleaders……. what a treat they were! They really added a dash of colour to the game that sees dada-style shirt twirling as indecent ungentlemanly behaviour.
On the flip side, there are some points to ponder. Just because a Hero No. 1 becomes a hit at the box office doesn’t mean that a Maachis has lost its sheen. The fifty overs format still is the better test of skill and talent. The T20 format requires big hitters much in the baseball mould, and deft strokeplayers somehow aren’t stars in the shorter format. Also, the 50 overs game allows you to stage a fightback even after initial reversals, which is very difficult in T20. Australia has been losing ealy wickets in both formats, but they somehow tasted dust in T20 because there was almost no time for rearguard action, the same rearguard action that sucked the wind out of Team India’s sails in the home series. The art of building and pacing an innings cannot be perfected in T20.
These are some off-the-block musings. I am open to comments and criticisms.
