I stopped watching the Final of Cricket World Cup T20 between England and West Indies after 12 over of second innings by Windies as they had just scored 66 in 12 overs and required 90 from 48 balls. A mobile beep at 11 in the night tells me West Indies won after hitting four sixes of last over with two balls to spare. Now Darren Sammy tells the world about the delirious conditions with which their Board treats them, hence they are bigger heroes than just winning the World Cup. Probably England is the best team to hit sixes against, Yuvraj hit six sixes in one over against them.
My mind races back to the India-Bangladesh match and what a match it was, no match of any sport in any country in the world can make as many people their heartbeats than a thriller by an Indian cricket team. A friend of mine quoted on Facebook, “Dhoni does not believe in Winning, Winning believes in Dhoni”. We had won three straight games against Bangladesh prior to the series and won all the matches in Asia Cup in Dhaka. In this match as well, we were expected to take leap in terms of average in case India, Pakistan and Australia get stuck at 2 won matches each. Only the luck (luck is an important factor in T20 cricket) saved the match. But as the team with Number 1 ranking, we are never up to the mark.
Radio, television channels, music, entertainment channels everybody was playing the last over of the match by Hardik Pandya for the next 24 hours. In the past few months, their is a movement amongst the cricket intellectuals and greats to elevate the position of Dhoni from cricketer and skipper to the Cricket Hall of Fame. Certainly people were reminded of the last over bowled by Joinder Sharma in the first ever T20 cricket wherein Dhoni was made Captain and sent with the team of rookies (underdogs) as the heavy weights refused to play T20 cricket.
Dhoni certainly deserves a place. We won a match against Pakistan and also Australia to which Kohli guided us to a comfortable win. If Sachin is God of Cricket, then Dhoni is certainly the mentor of T20 cricket. He is a mentor not only to players or the team but the whole concept of T20.
Like his coach said that he was recommending to some senior retired players in the cricket arena and they asked, what type of batsmen he is and what is his batting style? His coach said, he plays excellent shots and he has his own style and not anybody he can think of. Dhoni's style of picking good length, low pitched deliveries from the ground and swinging it past boundary on the long on/off is called Helicopter Shot.
For the semi-final, we booked a table at an upmarket pub in South Delhi. Somehow watching the matches in a crowded place adds to the fun, much better than an experience in stadium. Plus they are playing all the heart pumping patriotic music during commercial breaks or whenever India hits a six or takes a wicket, free shots (tequila) are provided.
We lost the match to the Windies and our chances of winning the World Cup were grounded. In the upmarket bar which was crowded was suddenly empty and dull after we lost and one group of Indian fans lashed out at other group for they were still laughing and argued India lost and you are smiling. Not to mention, glasses and plates few across and broken and littered at the place, so much so, that the bar authorities had to call the security and Police was also on the way, during which we also decided to gulp our beer and head towards exit.
Apparently there were few reports in the media as well of violence on the streets as India lost. Such is the passion and enthusiasm of cricket. T20 is not about technique or the patience or the sense of character, it is all about entertainment. With the increasing mix of Bollywood and the corporate world and the models and cheer leaders, it is as glamorous as a fashion week but with much high drama and emotions at play.
Dhoni’s style of shots are perfectly attuned to this style of cricket. In more than 6 out of 10 matches, he is playing the winning shot. In the T20 matches, India’s matches were the ones which provided with the maximum thrill and entertainment for any cricket fan as all matches were close and could swing to any side, any moment.
It’s true he and the team that he is built has given immense range of emotions to the cricket fans and more percolate on the thrilling and happy side and less of sadness and moreover Indian side put their everything in T20 match, even if they have lost, they play a competitive game with no easy chances for their opponent.
Dhoni is an entertainer as T20 is all about entertainment. Let’s take a look at the press conference after they lost to West Indies in the Semi Final on 31st March, 2016.
The question asked by Samuel Ferris of cricket.com.au was about whether after the Indian team's exit from the ICC World Twenty20 semi-finals, Dhoni, at 34, was keen to play on. At first Dhoni responded by asking Ferris to repeat the question, and when he did, the following played out.
“Come here, let's have some fun”, said Dhoni, beckoning to Ferris to join him. Ferris blinked and looked taken aback. Dhoni pushed aside one of the chairs next to him and said: “I am serious, come here”.
The Australian sat down and Dhoni put an arm around him. “Do you want me to retire?”
“Not that I want. That's what I want to ask you,” replied Ferris.
“I was hoping it was an Indian media guy because I can't really ask you if you have a son or a brother who is a wicketkeeper. Do you think I am unfit, looking at my running?” asked Dhoni as giggles rippled around the room.
“No. You're very fast.”
“Do you think I can survive till the 2019 World Cup?”
“You should, yes, sure.”
“Then you have answered the question.” With that, Dhoni patted Ferris' back and the Australian got up and walked back to his seat.
Dhoni wasn't finished, though.
“I wish it was an Indian media person,” he added, clearly in reference to the number of times his place has been questioned after a defeat and the times journalists have asked him questions about his future. “Then I would have asked if he has a son who is a wicketkeeper and ready to play. He would have said no, then I would have said maybe a brother who is a wicketkeeper and who is ready to play. You fired the right ammunition at the wrong time.”
