Sachin Tendulkar, legendary Indian cricketer, steps up to bat. There are two balls left in the match and six runs needed to save the day. He misses out on the first ball. The subcontinent waits with bated breath as he swings toward that second ball, and then it happens: It's out of the stadium, into the hands of the seething masses — it's a six!
Moments like that can fill the empty belly of a body broken from work. A feeling of contentment seeps into the inhumane lives of the millions in poverty, even if just for a night, even if it's just until the next match.
My column is an insight into the fascinating world of cricket. I will provide an overview of all the major cricketing events happening around the world, along with views, comments and a (hopefully) humorous take on everything cricket through the eyes of a passionate fan. To me, cricket is a way of life. Yeah, probably some of you must be thinking, "Wait, this guy basically does not have a life." My aim is to change that opinion, at least for some of you, through this column. For me, cricket stands out when compared to other sports in how it unites a variety of cultures into this delightful concoction that I have come to enjoy.
To watch a game of cricket at the Lord's Cricket Grounds in London is a sacred pilgrimage for cricket fans. The majestic stadiums represent all that is good about cricket with a wonderful history that began more than 220 years ago. One of the more beautiful sights in sporting locales is the Newlands Cricket Ground in South Africa with the majestic Table Mountain and the Devil's Peak overlooking the stadium. The meandering lawns around certain segments of the stadium with people having a barbecue and drinking a couple of beers as they enjoy the cricket in front of them makes for one of the most relaxing experiences that you can think of.
On the other end, we have the carnival-like atmosphere of the Caribbean. The West Indians have a proud cricket history, and the surreal blend of calypso music and the passionate energy emitted through their dances during the games make for a surreal experience that cannot be described in words.
Playing a game at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, is widely regarded as an immensely intimidating experience for the opposing team. Having 100,000 people packed into a small stadium calling for your blood might do that.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known as the "G," (the reason being because it is a gigantic stadium. Get it? G for gigantic? Not very creative, I know) is another stadium that holds a place among the elite in cricketing history. The gigantic stadium (alright, I will stop now) is always packed for the Aussie games and is known as the final frontier for visiting teams as the opposition almost always loses to Australia at the MCG.
There are lots of things happening in the cricketing world at the moment. The Ashes — an iconic series that takes place every four years between Australia and England — will start in November. It is the biggest event in cricket and dates back to more than a century ago. The World Cup is going to be held in the subcontinent, and it promises to be the closest tournament in terms of competition in recent history. I will also talk about a rising phenomenon that has stormed the cricketing world in the form of the Indian Premier League.
As you can see, there are numerous events happening in cricket at the moment and I really look forward to sharing my thoughts about them with all of you!
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Avinash Asthana is a junior majoring in computer science. He can be reached at Avinash.Asthana@tufts.edu.
