Below is what I had written yesterday when watching the last twenty minutes of the Ind vs. Aus 5th ODI in Hyderabad. It's been long since I'd engaged in such manic writing, scribbling while I was watching the match. Slightly over 600 words in about 30 minutes - that's a crazy feat for me given the length of time that's passed since the times I could sit down and write a story in one stretch. Anyway, this is hopefully a sign of times to come and more tales to tell!
"How long it’s been since I watched Sachin the God in action!! And today I watch as he bats in his fullest glory, crossing the 17,000 mark and at 170 at the moment, battling to help India reach the target of 351 to win against Australia. It’s a closely fought match – they need 43 from 33 balls to win – so close! It would be such a pity if… I shut my mind desperately to these negative thoughts, hoping they will make it. My heart beats fast, praying fervently that Sachin’s such-a-brilliant knock is not in vain. That will not be fair, oh, so not fair! 350 is a formidable total and the team has done well to score more than 300.
What’s going to happen? It’s been years since I watched such an interesting match closely fought, probably not since the 2007 20-20 Ind vs Pak final that India won after a nail-biting finish.
The tension is too much to handle – my stomach churns and my head hurts. I can’t stop frequently wondering how on earth Sachin is able to stand at the crease facing every ball, while the crowd waits with bated breath for some miracle to happen.
A four! From Jadeja. The crowd is jubilant. A miracle from just anyone will be highly praised about now.
33 in 26 balls.
My heats skips a beat every time somebody catches the ball – caught? I scream every time somebody throws the ball, praying it’s not a run out.
A wide. Four overs left.
Two fours!
23 from 22 balls.
The crowd is going mad, and so am I. Jadeja, the unlikely man.
Sachin on strike. 22 from 20. OH COME ON!!!!
I’m scared to move or inch anywhere from my seat for fear of disturbing some cosmic balance. This is getting too hard to bear. If I were Sachin, no, worse, Jadeja, my head would burst now.
The ads are annoying!
SACHIN IS OUT!!!
Dude, I can’ t believe you just hit that ball. YOU. That ball.
I sit in stunned silence and watch as Sachin walks out, raising his bat in acknowledgement for the crowd’s ovation. Thatha is thoroughly dejected. We were this close – it was one run for one ball.
It’s annoying to think how close we are and yet anything could happen.
Jadeja, standing yards away from the crease gazing at the ball nearly got run out now.
Damn, that idiot just got run out in the same fashion. B******, you’re not as old as the kid in Lagaan. Didn’t you learn??
I could just kill SRK in his stupid Airtel ad right now.
The Indian team is unbelievable. 180 from Sachin and we’re this close to losing.
17 from 14.
Thatha’s left the room having given me the responsibility of telling him how we lose.
We just nearly missed losing another wicket by a run-out. Gosh, don’t bowlers know these things? They’re the ones at the stumps so often trying to get the batsmen out!
Nehra just handed the Aussies his wicket on a platter. Halwa catch.
Sigh. What a waste of effort!
If I see the Itchmosol ad once more, I think I’ll cry.
SIX!!!!!
10 from 10 balls.
God, God, good God.
Everyone is on the edge of their seats now.
Some guy in glasses just closed his eyes. To pray, I think.
LAST OVER.
I think tears are forming in my eyes.
Thatha can’t stop chanting ‘My God.’
7 from 5 balls.
Batsmen discussing.
5 from 3.
A six, God. PLEASE!
And I think he’s run out.
HE IS.
Australia wins by 3 runs.
How effing unfortunate!!!!
3!?!? THREE????
Ponting is clapping to his heart’s joy.
Sigh.
Yuvraj looks like he’s about to cry.
SIGH.
