My World Cup memories down the years... Part 1

With just a few hours left for the first ball to be bowled in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, thought it was time for me to jog my memory and rewind to the World Cups that I remember over the past couple of decades....

The first World Cup that I distinctly remember was the 1992 World Cup down under. I would have been in the eight grade then. My only (very faint) memory of the 1987 edition was India beating Australia at Delhi on a festive day (Dasara or Diwali). But coming to the 1992 edition, it was a completely new viewing experience. Held in sunny Australia and New Zealand, broadcast by Channel Nine, first Cup to have coloured clothing and day-night games, the 1992 World Cup had all that a viewer could want (Not to mention, the best format till date !!. Very few boring games). I watched most of the matches at home. And though I was not allowed to bunk school for the sake of cricket, the day-night games meant that I could watch the last couple of hours after coming back from school. And so I watched India beat Pakistan at Sydney (complete with the More-Miandad show of love) in company of relatives at home and then subside meekly in the remaining matches. The classic India-Australia game was on a Sunday, hence could watch the entire match, though it ended in heartbreak with India losing by a run in most of the lethargic running one could ever see. When the final came, I could at last sneak in a half day from school and thus was able to watch the second innings, which of course, included Mushtaq Ahmed having the English batsman in a spin and Wasim Akram nailing the issue with successive jaffas to get Lamb and Lewis. I must confess that I am waiting for four years hence, when the Cup will go back to Australia and (if the ICC has its way) only 10 teams. It should be a fantastic experience, and I am already planning to use that as an excuse for visiting one of my favourite destinations.

By contrast the 1996 edition came at difficult times. After all, I was in the midst of my Standard XII board exams !!! Which meant of course, studying became difficult, not to mention the interruptions due to the screaming from the neighbours place. But even in the midst of all this, I still remember a few matches. The India-Australia game in Mumbai (the first game under lights at the Wankhede) was one I saw mostly fully (we were in the pre-exam study leave days), although the result was not a pleasing one. Then, of course, came the India-Pakistan quarter-final. It was a Saturday and we had finished our Physics paper and rushed home, just in time for the start. The holiday next day meant that one could afford to watch most of the game, which I dutifully did. And when India won the match, the whole building erupted in celebrations, which lasted way into the night. I managed to do well on Monday in the exams and felt that the team just needed to show up in two games to win the World Cup... which then brings me to my most vivid WC memory. The semi-final against Sri Lanka. I finished my Chemistry II paper and went to my friends place, determined to put all thoughts of cricket aside and concentrate on the next exam (Botany). As the first two Lankan wickets fell in the opening exchanges, the Botany text book was put aside and we were hooked to the TV sets. But as Aravinda and the rest prospered. we thankfully managed to get a couple of hours of study. But even then, I felt 251 was not enough and I rushed home during the break all set to see Sachin and the rest overhaul the challenge (book in hand, of course :)). What happened, of course, needs no recollection. Suffices to say that not only was the evening spoiled, my chances of cracking the Botany paper were ruined. After the game, I stayed up till 3 am, though the time was spent in brooding over the result and then being taken over by chilling fear as to the consequences on my educational career. I turned up at the Botany paper almost like a zombie (with only a couple of hours of sleep) and duly messed it up (and with it, probably the faint hopes I nursed of becoming a doctor !!). It was by far the World Cup match I remember most. Thereafter, of course, there was no joy in the 1996 World Cup, though I was watched Sri Lanka's day of glory the following Sunday over vada-paos.

Tune in for part 2 and the subsequent memories...
Cheers

Amit