After an unforgettable world cup campaign for both India and Pakistan in the Caribbean edition of 2007, we are now into what we can truly call the Desi-Zone of the world cup in 2011. As the tournament has already seen the first 3 weeks in the subcontinent, the cricket fever has spread over the geographical boundaries and as usual United States has not remained untouched with the cricket mania. Cricket world cup talk has been into the lips of most desi’s living in United States as Cricket gossip has taken over their prime family time over the weekends.
For most Indians, this world cup means so much; another way of showing the mighty power India has in the cricket world with India being the only second country after England, the game’s originator, to host the world cup for the third time in history. It also means a lot for the normal Indian cricket fan, because in all likelihood, it could well be the last time, the poster boy of Indian cricket for over 20 years and the demi-god of the cricket religion, Sachin Tendulkar is playing in a 50 over format world cup. Fans aside, the Indian captain and many team players have already been vocal about winning the world cup for Sachin Tendulkar. Fans and critics, experts and the so called experts have already started the debate as to what would be Indian cricket after this world cup when Tendulkar does decide to not play One Day Internationals anymore? Will we see him again in the blue Jersey? Emotions are high, media as usual crazy and everyone is talking about the India’s bowling strength or lack of it under pressure situation after India somehow managed to tie the game against England despite scoring close to 350 runs. Will team India deliver this time around, break the shackles and win the cup in their own backyard? What kind of boost it would be for world cricket and the might of BCCI? Well, time will tell.
So much has been going on in the Pakistan cricket in the last couple of years. First they were robbed off their right to be the co-host along with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and then came the fixing episode and one player abandoning the team on a fine morning and seeking asylum in UK for reasons not clearly known so far. Many cricket pundits wrote them off just before the world cup, but Can anyone dare to do that now especially after their first three wins and the way their captain Afridi is leading the team from front? Can they be the dark horse of this edition of world cup? Can they repeat the 1992 heroics under another pathan? More importantly, can they prove that talent is supreme and beats the lack of everything else?
So much hype about the opening ceremony of the world cup in Bangladesh was created but has that initial frenzy lost somewhere once the team has been brought down to reality by the West Indies. Can the Bengal tigers bounce back and at least re-store some of their lost pride by at least reaching the quarter finals?
How we wish, we were in India this time around and watched the game together with our friends or even fancied getting tickets and lining up in the long queues in the stadium hours before the match starts? How would this feeling be translated if India wins this world cup in India? How do we create that world cup DESI environment?
Many of you in Arizona are already watching and enjoying the games in your capacity but for you to join in the cricket mania; your own AZ India is bringing some of the important world cup matches live in action over the big screen for the very first time in the valley. What is more, the purely desi way of watching a cricket game in the cricket stadium like environment is going to be created with:
· Midnight Buffet
· Garma Garam Chai and snack all night
· Bring your own dhol and Trumphet
Visit the link for more details.
http://www.azindia.com/display_events.aspx?ae_id=8013
Anand Kumar
Player – Arizona Cricket Association.