Night of World Cup Final

ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2011 FINAL NIGHT

A day no Indians would want to forget and a night I would want to cherish forever. April 2, 2011, was the clash of titans when India met Srilanka on the World Cup Final at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.  After the setback in 2003, our hopes were high again. A hope to lift the World Cup. The night of the final has to be one of the most memorable nights of my life. Now, let me say you why?

It was not a year over that I started watching the game, I remember the group stage match between India and South Africa was the first-ever cricket match I saw, and guess what… we lost that match. So yes, I was already in love with the game, unfortunately, I was the only one in my family to stare at the television when a match goes live. 

In current lifestyle, we hardly stay together, the animals no longer make the hurdle and in pandemic don’t even think to. The lifestyles are much more concentrated and nothing was different in 2011 and happiness? It’s a far-off tale, and maybe even a dream we dream every night. 

The winning stroke of the Indian Captain on the night of the final pushed all the people of my colony down to the ground. I could not express the happiness we all had in our hearts, what I can do is only to close my eyes and re-imagine the scenery to relive the beautiful moment. When Ravi Shastri said, “Dhoni finishes off in style, a magnificent six into the crowds. Party started in the dressing room. India lifts the World Cup after 28 years and it’s an Indian Captain who has been brilliant on the night of the Final.” we all jumped off the places we were at. I rushed to the balcony to shout with my other friends doing the same. It was not a minute over and we were at the ground burning crackers and dancing all around. I don’t remember any other moment where I saw so many happy faces altogether.

It’s not an assumption but a fact that there hardly could be anybody at home at that time. I don’t know who arranged the crackers and I don’t want to. It was 2 April 2011 we had no Whataspp status to share our happiest moment, instead, we knew how to live the moment together. The reason for it to be so memorable not is just the unity we all had, besides, it was probably the only time I had my family watching cricket with me and I was promised a cricket bat if India wins so thanks to the Indian cricket team who helped me to have my own cricket bat, which broke twice but is still with me just like the trophy is in the BCCI Cabinet. 

A lot has changed in a decade and I don’t think there could a better celebration even if we win World Cup again in the forthcoming years. You must be thinking it sounds so childish, well I was in class 4 only 9 years old and you cannot expect a mature story from a child, can you?