This is breathtaking.
So much so that I am breathless.
Some of you know that I have been on a world cup cricket watching spree.
Although I have yet to watch a single match in Bangladesh, I have watched more live cricket in this past month than I have in years.
Mohali is a beautiful ground. Any of you that gets a chance to go watch a game in Mohali should go. Especially if Pakistan is playing.
By far the most enjoyable game for me. And for those who were following my 5 over emails, I apologize. After I saw Dhoni turn his back, I just couldn't keep my nerves calm enough to let my fingers do the typing.
And after that - I was too engrossed in the situation to get back to typing.
The game itself was interesting but the stadium was infinitely more so.
The energy in that place was absolutely killer. Everybody was just turned ON. It was a great experience. The closest a cricket game has ever come to a music concert where you and the crowd around you get in the same zone.
I highly recommend this.
I know a lot of people can not watch a 5 day match. That is because it takes a love for playing the game to follow a 5 day match. A test match is not a spectator sport for spectators. It's a spectator sport for players.
And I know a lot of you prefer the 4 hour version. That is because you are morons.
And for the many of you who like to watch a 1 day match. Get yourself tickets to a day nighter in Mohali. I recommend it highly.
And yes, I'm going to the final. I am in Mumbai already, writing this from Jazz by the Bay on my phone.
I do not think I will be sending updates on the final. I'm not going to mar my experience of being at the cricket world cup final by sending out cynical short bursts of angry pancreatic fluid disguised as reports.
You guys enjoy the game.
And as a parting note - if you belong to the group of people who believe the match yesterday was fixed, then while I applaud your cynicism - after all it is a trait I base many of my own judgments on - I also pity how much of your soul you have lost to this most dangerous of traits.
Regardless of your cynicism, you should retain the ability to enjoy a good emotional ride. Keep your cynicism in check my buddies. If you do, it will guide you. If you don't, you'll become a cold, mistrusting, shifty eyed, soulless, paranoid freak.
Catch you after the game.
----------------------------------------------
UPDATE - March 31, Midnight
-----------------------------------------------
Sorry just now got through a bunch of mail.
1. Which matches did you watch?
Leagues
Sun Feb 20 - Kenya v New Zealand, Chepauk, Chennai
Thu Feb 24 - South Africa v West Indies, FSK Delhi
Sun Feb 27 - India v England, Chinnaswamy, Bangalore
Wed Mar 2 - England v Ireland, Chinnaswamy, Bangalore
Sat Mar 5 - Sri Lanka v Australia, Premadasa, Colombo
Sat Mar 12 - India v South Africa, VCA, Nagpur
Thu Mar 17 - England v West Indies, Chepauk, Chennai
Sat Mar 19 - Australia v Pakistan, Premadasa Colombo
Quarters
Sun Mar 20 - India v West Indies, Chepauk, Chennai
Thu Mar 24 - India v Australia, Sardar Patel, Ahmedabad
Sat Mar 26 - Sri Lanka v England, Premadasa, Colombo
Semis
Wed Mar 30 - India v Pakistan, Mohali, Chandigarh
Finals
Sat Apr 2 - India v Sri Lanka, Wankhede, Mumbai
2. How did you get tickets to all the matches?
League matches were easy as you will imagine. I just bought them as soon as I could, and I bought the nicer seats so I didnt really have problems with the ticket issuances in the early matches.
I had decided early that I would not go to Bangladesh, so I didnt buy any tickets for that country knowing that I would miss the India quarter final if we were going to play in Mirpur. Thankfully that didnt happen
Here's the crazy part. Semi's I bought tickets to both. I couldn't possibly make both (Colombo to Mohali in one early morning ain't happening.) So I thought I'd buy both and pick the one that promised to be a better game. No brainer there.
And the tickets to the finals is a gift from a close friend who is a senior executive at one of the major sponsors.
3. How did you manage time off from work?
I don't understand this question. I told them I will be taking the following days off as soon as I had the tickets.
4. Why didn't you report out on all the games?
I'm not a reporter. I'm not good at it, and it takes away from my own enjoyment. And frankly I didn't spend my hard earned money so that I could get YOUR nuts off.
5. Please Report on the Final.
No.
6. Get on Facebook/Twitter/Orkut/Friendster/MySpace
I dont see the point. I'm open to convincing arguments, but I doubt there is one.
7. You're a lucky Sonovabitch for getting all those tix.
Not to be condescending, but you could have done the same. There is a small percentage of you who would probably say you can not afford the expense, and you may be right but I doubt it. If you really wanted to do it, you could. Work, Money, Travel and Time are excuse. So no. I'm not lucky. You're a dumass.
----------------------------------
So much so that I am breathless.
Some of you know that I have been on a world cup cricket watching spree.
Although I have yet to watch a single match in Bangladesh, I have watched more live cricket in this past month than I have in years.
Mohali is a beautiful ground. Any of you that gets a chance to go watch a game in Mohali should go. Especially if Pakistan is playing.
By far the most enjoyable game for me. And for those who were following my 5 over emails, I apologize. After I saw Dhoni turn his back, I just couldn't keep my nerves calm enough to let my fingers do the typing.
And after that - I was too engrossed in the situation to get back to typing.
The game itself was interesting but the stadium was infinitely more so.
The energy in that place was absolutely killer. Everybody was just turned ON. It was a great experience. The closest a cricket game has ever come to a music concert where you and the crowd around you get in the same zone.
I highly recommend this.
I know a lot of people can not watch a 5 day match. That is because it takes a love for playing the game to follow a 5 day match. A test match is not a spectator sport for spectators. It's a spectator sport for players.
And I know a lot of you prefer the 4 hour version. That is because you are morons.
And for the many of you who like to watch a 1 day match. Get yourself tickets to a day nighter in Mohali. I recommend it highly.
And yes, I'm going to the final. I am in Mumbai already, writing this from Jazz by the Bay on my phone.
I do not think I will be sending updates on the final. I'm not going to mar my experience of being at the cricket world cup final by sending out cynical short bursts of angry pancreatic fluid disguised as reports.
You guys enjoy the game.
And as a parting note - if you belong to the group of people who believe the match yesterday was fixed, then while I applaud your cynicism - after all it is a trait I base many of my own judgments on - I also pity how much of your soul you have lost to this most dangerous of traits.
Regardless of your cynicism, you should retain the ability to enjoy a good emotional ride. Keep your cynicism in check my buddies. If you do, it will guide you. If you don't, you'll become a cold, mistrusting, shifty eyed, soulless, paranoid freak.
Catch you after the game.
----------------------------------------------
UPDATE - March 31, Midnight
-----------------------------------------------
Sorry just now got through a bunch of mail.
1. Which matches did you watch?
Leagues
Sun Feb 20 - Kenya v New Zealand, Chepauk, Chennai
Thu Feb 24 - South Africa v West Indies, FSK Delhi
Sun Feb 27 - India v England, Chinnaswamy, Bangalore
Wed Mar 2 - England v Ireland, Chinnaswamy, Bangalore
Sat Mar 5 - Sri Lanka v Australia, Premadasa, Colombo
Sat Mar 12 - India v South Africa, VCA, Nagpur
Thu Mar 17 - England v West Indies, Chepauk, Chennai
Sat Mar 19 - Australia v Pakistan, Premadasa Colombo
Quarters
Sun Mar 20 - India v West Indies, Chepauk, Chennai
Thu Mar 24 - India v Australia, Sardar Patel, Ahmedabad
Sat Mar 26 - Sri Lanka v England, Premadasa, Colombo
Semis
Wed Mar 30 - India v Pakistan, Mohali, Chandigarh
Finals
Sat Apr 2 - India v Sri Lanka, Wankhede, Mumbai
2. How did you get tickets to all the matches?
League matches were easy as you will imagine. I just bought them as soon as I could, and I bought the nicer seats so I didnt really have problems with the ticket issuances in the early matches.
I had decided early that I would not go to Bangladesh, so I didnt buy any tickets for that country knowing that I would miss the India quarter final if we were going to play in Mirpur. Thankfully that didnt happen
Here's the crazy part. Semi's I bought tickets to both. I couldn't possibly make both (Colombo to Mohali in one early morning ain't happening.) So I thought I'd buy both and pick the one that promised to be a better game. No brainer there.
And the tickets to the finals is a gift from a close friend who is a senior executive at one of the major sponsors.
3. How did you manage time off from work?
I don't understand this question. I told them I will be taking the following days off as soon as I had the tickets.
4. Why didn't you report out on all the games?
I'm not a reporter. I'm not good at it, and it takes away from my own enjoyment. And frankly I didn't spend my hard earned money so that I could get YOUR nuts off.
5. Please Report on the Final.
No.
6. Get on Facebook/Twitter/Orkut/Friendster/MySpace
I dont see the point. I'm open to convincing arguments, but I doubt there is one.
7. You're a lucky Sonovabitch for getting all those tix.
Not to be condescending, but you could have done the same. There is a small percentage of you who would probably say you can not afford the expense, and you may be right but I doubt it. If you really wanted to do it, you could. Work, Money, Travel and Time are excuse. So no. I'm not lucky. You're a dumass.
----------------------------------
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