Cricket Mania...

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Its quite surprising that the Cricket World Cup hasn't affected my sensibilities this time round, I guess I have matured enough to realise that its just a game and there isn't any need for me to get excited about twenty two men, six stumps, four bails, two bats and a ball. Though I must add that yours truly had once been a die-hard cricket fan, who burned the mid-night oil to watch matches being played in weird time-zones, my mom maintains that if I had that level of dedication towards my exams I might have ended up differently, but I digress. Cricket has been a source of euphoria, heartache and amusement,  I say amusement because of the things people do to ensure their side wins which can range from the hilarious to the downright stupid!!!

Case Study 1:

My friend's husband is a die hard cricket fan to such an extent that when his side is losing or being walloped by the opposition he just can't watch it...but ask him to switch the TV off and he will give you a look as though you just asked him to commit harakiri. Instead he keeps the TV on in the living room, paces around in the Study and every now and then tip toes back to the living room to see if the situation has improved.

Then there is also the superstition that kicks in around all important matches, take for instance the latest India-Australia match in the World Cup 2011. He fixed himself a drink declaring "This is too stressful... I need a drink". After a while he noticed that every time he kept the drink on the coffee table India lost a wicket, so the brave soldier did what every true son of the soil would do in a crisis situation, he put the country's needs above his own and kept holding the glass in his hand... the only hiccup to the soldiering arose when the liquid that he had ingested decided "twas time to leave"...will leave the rest to your imagination...

Case Study 2:

My friend's uncle is one of the biggest cricket fans you can find on the sub-continent. At the workplace he is a force to be reckoned with, but as a cricket fan he quite hopeless and as superstitious as the next bloke. Way back in 1999 when she was visiting them during the annual summer vacations and the seventh edition of the World Cup was being hosted by England. She recounts being entertained by a fine display of near child-like behaviour in a sensible grown man. If during a match he sat in a particular pose and the batsman hit a six the pose was maintained at the risk of having to visit a chiropractor!!!

Also if by chance her aunt came into the room and a wicket was lost, her aunt was banned entry to the living room till the end of the match!!!