T20 WC-2022: Virat Plays His Most Incredible Innings Ever As India Win the Most Incredible Match Ever Against Pakistan!

More than ninety thousand spectators at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) watched spellbound as Virat Kohli scripted his most incredible innings ever to propel India to an incredible victory over archrivals Pakistan in their opening Group-2 match of the Super-12 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup today. India-Pakistan matches are always exciting, nail-biting and full of ups and downs. However, in my lifetime experience of watching Indo-Pak cricket today’s match is perhaps the most incredible one, considering the unbelievable climax. When most of Indian fans, including this writer prominently, were almost giving up on Virat Kohli, he has chosen today’s match to prove what champion matter he’s made of. He has made the impossible possible, snatching the most improbable victory from the jaws of sure defeat. No doubt, he has thus bettered the memories of Sachin Tendulkar against Australia in Sharjah. Well, Virat’s innings of 82 in 53 balls with 6 fours and 4 sixes is not without precedents, but in the context of the depressing circumstances of the Indian chase it is momentous and unforgettable. Giving him the most enthralling company is of course Hardik Pandya—their match-winning partnership worth 113 runs.

 

India started the match in tremendous spirit capturing two early Pak wickets to Arshdeep after Rohit won the toss and put Pakistan into bat. As is usual in an encounter of the archrivals Pakistan recovered thanks to Iftikhar Ahmed and recovered again after being reduced to 98/5 in 14 overs and 120/7 in the 17^th over to post a very competitive target of 160 thanks to Shan Masood. In reply India lost both the openers at the pitiful score of 10 in the fourth over, and when India were reduced to 31/4 in the 7^th over even the most optimistic fans gave up hope despite the fact that the very capable Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya were at the crease still, basically because the scoring rate was extremely poor and the asking rate climbing all the time. As India labored to reach just 45/4 runs in full 10 overs it became too much to expect them to score 115 in just 60 balls more. To confound matters both Kohli and Pandya looked nonchalant and were going about in ways that suggested they themselves had given up any kind of a chasing dream.

 

If their total laidback approach was a clever ploy it really had its impact on the Pak players who apparently thought the victory was theirs and they went on perhaps a bit complacently, just trying to contain the batsmen with the spinners to make the target go beyond their reach. Pak captain Babar also made the cardinal mistake of not keeping one of his strike pacers for the last over by bowling out Afridi, Naseem and Rauf. Of the Indian pair Pandya first showed signs of aggression after 10 overs were bowled and then, of course, Virat started attacking in the most spectacular manner. Yet, the run-ball equations continued to be uphill for India. And, the Indian fans who were starting to live up nearly gave up hope when India needed 48 runs in the last three overs; lived up again as Virat plundered Shaheen Afridi’s last over, the 18^th of the match; and finally got resigned to fate when India needed 28 runs in 8 balls. In that penultimate over by Rauf Kohli hit two mouth-watering sixes to bring the last-over target to an immensely possible 16 runs.

 

However, Babar did not have a strike pacer for the last over and he had to hand over the ball to Nawaz Mohammad who was hit robustly in his third over. But even then, the last over was the most eventful of the match. Pandya gets out first ball, India needing 16 in 5 now. Karthik comes in and takes a single—15 in 4. And Virat takes a couple—13 in 3. Next ball was hit by Virat for a six just missing the onside boundary fielder’s hands and the umpire declares a no-ball, leading to Pak protests and debates on the field—so then now it’s a very easy 6 in 3 balls. Next ball was a wide again--5 in 3 even as the free-hit ball remained to be bowled. In the free-hit ball Virat loses his stumps, but smartly runs three byes as the ball ricochets from the stump to third man, the umpire not heeding Pak protests—now it’s up to Karthik to seal the match by taking 2 runs in 2 balls.

 

Dinesh Karthik, however, gets out stumped in the fifth ball and Ashwin comes in needing 2 runs in the last ball. The most agitated bowler under extreme pressure Nawaz then bowls another wide and finally, India need 1 in 1 ball to win as by that time the match is already tied, open to a deciding super over, and Pak players coming in closer to prevent the single. Ashwin lifts the ball over the mid-off fielder and India win by 4 wickets. What a match! What an incredible victory! And what a start for an ‘experimenting’ Team India in their World Cup campaign! The scenes unfolding on the field indicated as if India had won the T20 World Cup-2022!

 

Questions still remain though about the selection of India’s playing eleven, particularly in regard to the pacers and the spinners. However, amid such incredible moments we leave the questions and instead join in the celebrations—Diwali, the Festival of Lights, happening tomorrow all over the country. Happy Diwali! Meanwhile on the first day of the Super-12 stage yesterday New Zealand scored the most emphatic win over the reigning Champions Australia and England beat Afghanistan in Group-1 matches. After a tough fight in the qualifying stage Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Ireland and Zimbabwe proceeded to the Super-12 while terribly inconsistent West Indies and an unlucky Namibia were eliminated. 

Happy Green Diwali-2020!

Diwali, the biggest festival of India, is a festival of lights, and is traditionally celebrated by lighting rows of earthen lamps or diyas, candles and strip electric lights, in and around homes and buildings. People can celebrate and enjoy in this way even during the worst crisis ever faced by humankind as there are no restrictions on burning oil or electric lamps. In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appealed to us to light up diyas just before Lockdown was enforced in March. Lighting up your houses essentially means driving away evil spirits and forces, and hoping for a bright year ahead. Celebrating Diwali this way does not in any way rob you of enjoyment.

 

Besides, if you’d like to have sweets and distribute those to your neighbors there are no issues either. Sweet shops are open across the country you can even walk down to and buy to your heart’s desire. Various state governments have also announced measures to ensure undiluted sweets for your good health. Then, if you want to buy new clothes there is still no problem. Retail cloth stores, malls and online stores are open across the country and you can buy without taking any risk in terms of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

 

You can also enjoy company online and through video chats/conferences with your dear friends and relatives, and help yourselves by not inviting lots of them to your home. You must check your impulses to go to large gatherings, and instead, enjoy quality times at your homes with your families for whom you always care. You must understand that after long six months the pandemic situation is coming under control, and you should never give away the advantage by your impulsive indiscretion.

 

And, why at all do you want to burst firecrackers and fireworks? Under normal circumstances bursting of firecrackers and having bouts of fireworks greatly impact pollution, adversely affect the elderly population, particularly with asthma or lung or hearing issues and tremendously harm the street humans and animals. We heartily welcome the preventive measures adopted by the state governments of Rajasthan, West Bengal and Delhi with more states joining in the campaign to have a Diwali totally free of firecrackers and fireworks.

 

This a festival of lights and not of politics or of a particular religion. Therefore, politicking of any kind in banning fireworks must be avoided by the states. In West Bengal, the High Court had taken the initiative in banning crackers as it had declared all Durga Puja pandals as no-entry zones earlier which most probably prevented an explosion of infections in the state. The state of Karnataka first went for the ban, but then, perhaps political considerations taking over, allowed two-hours of fireworks which is not at all advisable.

 

The Chief Minister of Maharashtra has been consistently appealing to people to have a green Diwali while the municipal authorities in Mumbai decided to only partially implement a ban by allowing firecrackers of the milder variety and green crackers that are almost smokeless, but such measures cannot ensure full compliance. In Maharashtra Diwali is a five-day event starting today, and therefore preventive measures assume utmost importance here. Most preferably, all states must go for the total ban irrespective of any consideration. People can have a resonant Diwali next year if they comply with the restrictions this year.

 

The NGT (National Green Tribunal) has done the right thing by imposing a total ban in Delhi NCR region till 30^th November 2020, and by ordering all cities to enforce similar bans if the pollution indexes in those are above the moderate levels. Here too, the state governments must cooperate in taking suitable decisions, seriously taking local pollution levels into active consideration and observation. However, a total country-wide ban of firecrackers would be the most needed step at the moment. Under Epidemic Disease Act states are empowered to impose such bans. 

 

Wish you all a great and fulfilling Happy Green Diwali-2020! 

Why Navaratri and Durga Puja Delayed in 2020!

The 11-day Ganesh Festival, celebrated all over Maharashtra and other parts of the country, ushers in the festive season in India, it normally falls during August-September every year as per the calculations of the lunisolar Hindu Calendar. After the immersion on the 14^th day of the bright phase or the waxing moon phase or Shukla Paksha of the lunar month, full moon or Purnima occurs the next day, and the following fortnight of the darkening phase or the waning phase or Krishna Paksha is observed as Pitru Paksha when people pay homage to their ancestors and perform the main shradh or funeral rituals on the culminating day of the new moon or Amavasya, that is Mahalaya. Next day, the brightening phase of the moon starts again which is called Devi Paksha and during this divine fortnight of the Goddess awakening, Navaratri and Durga Puja are celebrated. Hymns of Goddess Durga resonate the air on the auspicious day of Mahalaya, and people of India, energized by the sweet tinge of the Autumn season, immerse themselves in worshiping their favorite Goddesses along with the festivities that effectively break all religious and other barriers. However, this year 2020, after Mahalaya on the 17^th of September, Navaratri is not going to start from the next day and Durga Puja not going to start six days later. You’ll have to wait exactly a month for Navaratri and 35 days for Durga Puja. Most of us already know this when both almanacs of the Hindu calendar agreed on this and announced the delay during Durga Puja celebrations last year, that is 2019.

The basic reason for this delay is the fact that the month of Ashwin that starts on September 17 happens to be mala maas or unholy month as two new moons (Amavasya) occur during the 30 days, the first Amavasya is the Mahalaya day on 17 September and the second one on 16^th October. As per the holy scriptures, a month is considered unholy if two new moons occur and all auspicious rituals except for funeral rites are avoided. This phenomenon repeats itself approximately every 32.5 months as a result of the intricate additions/omissions process of leap days and leap months in the Hindu calendar, and a mala maas can be applicable to any of the 12 months. On earlier occasions, Ashwin had been the unholy month in 1982 and in 2001. Therefore in 2020, the nine-day Navaratri festivities are going to start from October 17 and the Mahashasthi, the start of the five-day Durga Puja, would  be on the 22^nd October; both festivals falling in the month of Kartik. Vijay Dashami or Dussehrais to be observed on October 26. The rest of the Indian festival calendar will not be affected.

The Indian festive season began this year on a subdued and sober note due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic. The government of Maharashtra had appealed to all the devotees to avoid the usual festivities and the idols were set to not exceed four feet in height. The most visited and the famous Lalbaughchya Raja celebrations in Mumbai were cancelled well in advance with the organizers announcing medical camps instead during the days. Excellent arrangements were made on the immersion day with the state government providing artificial ponds and water tankers at every nook and corner of Mumbai and the state, most of the idols being eco-friendly. Indeed, idol makers bore the brunt of the scaled-down festivities.

The scale of festivities during the upcoming Navaratri and Durga Puja festivals is also caught in the agony of uncertainty with the pandemic surge refusing to cooperate. This is also yet to be seen if the mala maas delay would eventually help the organizers and the public participate in the festivities more freely and wholeheartedly. The idol makers continue to suffer though, with the usual flurry of activities and orders totally missing so far.

Goddess Durga is believed to be a demon-killer and a destroyer of all evil forces on earth. The mother-shakti forms of the Goddess descend on earth every year with this very objective and the mortals on earth intone and evoke the Devi’s wrath on the wrong-doers. People of India in 2020, caught up in the throes of one of the worst years in history, would hope fervently that the Goddess shower mercy on them and deliver them of the misery, sufferings and deaths. However, the people must also observe the sacred duties on their part as the challenging times demand. The wait goes on…

Cricket: India Win Star Sports ODI Series Against Australia, Diwali Gift For Fans!

Incredible Innings By Rohit Sharma

It was a perfect Happy Diwali from Team India as its top order batsmen regaled millions of fans with incredible fireworks today in Bangalore. India posted the highest total of the Series, 383/6 off 50 overs. The fifth wicket partnership between Rohit Sharma (209 in 158 balls) and MS Dhoni (62 off 38) yielded 167 runs off just 94 balls amassing 101 in the last five and 151 in the last 10 overs. Rohit Sharma became the third batsmen of the world to score an ODI double ton after Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. He broke the world record of the highest number of sixes in an innings beating Shame Watson’s 15 with his 16. He also became the first world batsmen to score the highest number of runs in an innings against Australia. However, the million dollar question remained still—was the target of 384 set against Australia enough or a safe one?

Incredible Innings By James Faulkner

Well, almost not! If Rohit broke records for the mammoth total, James Faulkner—the match winner in Mohali for the last minute blitz—set new records in almost overhauling the Indian total. He became the second Australian for the fastest hundred and with McKay set the highest partnership ever of 115 runs for Australia for the ninth wicket. From 211 for 8 Faulkner brought his team to a possible victory at 326 for 8 in the 45^th over. Then of course it took just two balls to set up an exciting Indian victory by 57 runs in the 7^thand last one day international match in Bangalore today. India thus won the Star Sports 7-match ODI Series beating Australia 3-2.

Australia won the toss and decided to field as has been the unofficial rule for most part of the Series thanks basically to the dew factor in the evening making bowling difficult and the inability for any team to define a ‘safe’ total to put up. Australia batted first after winning the toss in the first ODI in Rajkot and won the match. They won the toss again in Jaipur for the second ODI and naturally elected to bat again. Australia made 359 runs and yet lost the match and since then fielding has been the first option after winning the toss for both teams. Australia also did the unimaginable for today’s all-important final by sending their main strike bowler Mitchell Johnson home to prepare for the Ashes Series starting later this month. Johnson has been consistently troubling Indian batsmen, particularly Raina and Yuvraj this Series and this tactical blunder was definitely going to add to the ‘safe target’ related woes.

After the sixth match in Nagpur that India won MS Dhoni launched an attack on the new ODI Rules saying that the earlier 280-290 targets had now become 350+ and even after that you were not sure if you had posted enough. With smaller boundaries introduction of two balls from each end the new Rules has practically ruled out reverse swing for the pacers and deprived the spinners of an older ball. Reducing the number of fielders outside the thirty yard circle from five to four in the non-Powerplay overs the bowlers are made helpless as even a minor variation in line and length paved the way for fours and sixes. To entertain the fours-sixes crowds of cricket T20 was introduced and now to placate them further one day cricket is tempered with too. Well, big money cricket is always here in India to stay. Anyway, when you do not know what total is going to be safe it is always better to know the exact target to chase. In Bangalore the Australian decision was made easier still because of the possibility of evening rains apart from the dew.

Put in to bat, the Indian openers—Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawa—started brilliantly racing to the second consecutive hundred run partnership and the sixth in 19 innings. India were 107 for no loss after 17 overs when rains interrupted. Immediately after play began Dhawan fell for 60 (57 balls) to left-arm spinner Doherty giving the economical bowler the first wicket in this series. Catastrophe happened in the 20^th over when the hero of Nagpur Virat Kohli was run out for a duck due to a huge mix-up with Team India at 113 for 2. Things became quiet and steadier as Raina tried to give company to in-form Rohit who notched up his half century too. Very soon he rebuilt the momentum with effortless sixes all around the park, but Raina (28) and Yuvraj Singh (12) could not give him company for long. Although bogged down a bit, Rohit with his captain’s support at the other end completed his 4^thcentury and after that it was incredible cricket he went on with his breathtaking shots and breaking records all the way. Absence of Johnson, injury to Watson after a tight spell and the waywardness of the Aussie seamers were some of the factors contributing to India’s memorable assault.

Injury Scare For Shane Watson

Australia seemed to have started the chase in a hurry thus rather helping the Indian bowlers and wickets fell at regular intervals. Except for a flurry of sixes by Maxwell who had the brute of an innings of 60 off just 22 balls and by injured Watson (49 off 22) things were looking rather gloomy for them. Maybe Dohery’s two wickets showed there was something for spinners on this flat pitch as Ashwin (2 for 51 off 10 overs) and Jadeja (3 for 73 off 10 overs) restrained Australia to some extent. Among the seamers Mohammed Shami was successful taking three wickets. Run out of the hero of the Nagpur match and the highest scorer of the Series Aussie captain George Bailey was a tremendous setback. At 211/8 in the 31^st over an Indian victory was written all over completing a Diwali gift. But then Faulkner (116 off 73) blast brought the match alive with patient support of McKay (18 in 65 balls). Finally it was too good to go on and the Faulkner scare for India ended in the first ball of the 46^th over with Australia all out for 326. Relief and ecstasy almost overwhelmed captain cool Dhoni as Shikhar Dhawan managed to latch on to the Faulkner catch in the long on boundary.  The Scorecard:

The Bangalore match has been a real Diwali celebration with fireworks continuing till the end. After Diwali India would take on West Indies for the all-important two-Test Series when Sachin Tendulkar is set to complete his 200^th Test and bow out of cricket.

The Festival Of Lights Here Again!

HAPPY DIWALI! 

 

Wish You All a very Prosperous and Enlightening Diwali—The Festival Of Lights! Different rituals of lighting diyashave started since yesterday. The main Diwali days though fall on November 13^thand 14^th for 2012 across the country. MORE OF TOGETHERNESS AND LESS OF FIRE CRACKERS PLEASE.

And Enjoy! MORE from last year!

Happy Diwali!

Article first published as The Festive Interlude! on Technorati.

Wish  You  ALL A Very Happy And Prosperous Diwali!

Let The Festival Of Lights Lighten Up Your Lives! 

Now it is festive times in India! Diwali—the Festival of Lights—is celebrated every year during mid-October to mid-November for five days in most parts and for two days in other parts like the Eastern India. the exact date is arrived at by the New Moon day of the dark lunar cycle. For 2011 the festival is being celebrated from 24th October till the 28th.

Diwali is the biggest festival for Hindus. There are many theories on the origin of this festival. One says people celebrate the return of Lord Ram from 14 years of anonymous exile. Another says this is for celebrating the symbolic victory of truth over evil. Still one more theory says this is to welcome the harvest season--the Goddess of wealth, Laxmi, being worshiped as a mark of gratification.

In the eastern parts Goddess Kali—the most powerful and the fiercest Goddess—is worshiped to drive away evil forces and to attain the blessings of the noble departed souls.

As Diwali celebrations began on the 24th there was tremendous festive expectation from the accused of various scams to be granted the much sought after bail. But the court allowed bail only for one political leader on grounds of serious illness leaving all others to observe the festival in jails.

Every year with each festival in India there is a high alert due to the constant terror threat, particularly for important metros like Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and others. On this year’s Diwali eve five countries namely the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand had issued travel advisories cautioning respective citizens not to travel India during the festival season. The Indian government had been trying its best to convince them of the all-round atmosphere of peace joy and safety in India.

Joyous and in tremendous spirits people do not bother about such threats though, maybe because they are getting used to it or they strongly believe in the deities who, they think, would never impose miseries when devotees are worshiping so sincerely. They light up their homes and premises with rows of oil lamps and indulge in buying new garments, buying and distributing sweets and thundering evenings of get-together with fireworks.

Apart from the problems of noise pollution and sufferings for old unfit people and neighborhood animals the Festival of Lights is a great occasion to congregate and celebrate.

Happy Diwali to all! Yet Again! Enjoy!

Scam, Diwali and Obama!

Yes. all the shades are there! The Adarsh Society Scam of Mumbai is raging with the Chief Minister of the state of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan in the dock and many others in the ministerial cum ex-ministerial cum top bureaucratic hierarchy deeply involved.

A Society building  in a plot supposedly belonging to the Indian Army, a society building supposedly for the widows of martyrs of Kargil, a society building supposedly to be a six story affair soaring to 31 floors eventually and a society building decidedly in the richest and poshest locality of India. Even if widows would have been given the flats how on earth could they have maintained themselves in the costliest neighborhood!

And so, over the decade every famous and powerful managed themselves one or more flats. Today in the Times of India, a national newspaper that exposed the scam, one top retired bureaucrat belligerently justified his two flats, ' You see, my father was an army officer and so my mother deserved a flat, then my daughter being the granddaughter of my father deserved one too!'

Things are in a heap with Diwali, the festival of lights, starting on 5th of November and..dear me...US President Barack Obama arriving in Mumbai on 6th on his three day visit to India. Obama is looking forward to celebrating Diwali in this sparkling city and unprecedented security arrangements are being made. Maybe for this twin big reasons the Congress party high command is delaying the decision on Chavan's offer of resignation. While the State Chief should indeed receive the huge profile guest the opposition parties  are clamoring for disallowing a corrupt chief to do so! 

Anyway, Happy Diwali to all! Let the lights clear the doubts. And, let us all try to announce 'ALL IS WELL!'