POOR LOSERS

As I feared, India lost the ICC World Cup 2015 semi-final to Australia, who were deserving winners all the way. I could hear Pakistani and Bangladeshi fans chiding Team India with chants of Mauka Mauka, and could not control my chuckles. Please don't judge me, but I think the poor Indian team had to pay for Star Sports India's cockiness.

No sooner had the match ended than our typical Indian cricket fans went on the offensive, blaming the team for underperforming and throwing in the towel without a fight. The Virat-Anushka jokes were absolutely uncalled for. Many people started calling for Captain Cool Dhoni's resignation. The same people were ranting about the team being invincible only a week ago, or maybe just a couple of hours before the match had begun.

I wonder when we Indians will learn to treat sports like sports, and not like a do-or-die war. Australia didn't show up on the field just to lose to India, they're playing for their country's honour too.

I wonder how many of us will throw away our mobile phones simply because we could not reach the final level of 'Angry Birds' or 'Candy Crush'.

Well played Team India! Reaching the Finals of the World Cup is a big thing in itself.

SHAME AND HOPE

Image Source: Hindustan Times

An incident that took place in Afghanistan last week disturbed me.

A young 27-year old woman named Farkhunda, who was a religious teacher, was falsely accused of burning the Koran following an argument with a mullah. Subsequently, she was beaten to death by an angry (and sick) mob. They beat the poor woman with their fists, stomped on her, pelted her with stones and rocks, thrashed her with a wooden plank, threw her off a roof, and ran a car over her lifeless body. As a climax, they then burnt her body and tossed it over a bridge into a dry river. The worst part was all this happened in the capital city Kabul, in the presence of policemen.

The attackers (all men) were absolutely ruthless and without heart. In the video of the killing, some men can be seen giggling while committing their act. Kids, some as young as 7-8 years can also be seen witnessing the killing like as if it were some form of entertainment. Such a dastardly event made me feel that there was no hope for the human race - even wild animals are capable of better behaviour. And all this for what? God would never approve of such an act.

But what followed afterward made me take notice.

Apparently, there were huge protests in Afghanistan against the murder. The protesters were all women. Traditionally, it is the menfolk who stand as pallbearers while burying the dead. But these women did not allow any man to come forward to carry the body. Instead, they themselves carried the body and buried her with full honour.

This was a perfect example of woman power! I foresee a positive progressive change in Afghanistan due to this event. Hopefully Afghanistan, which is absolute hell for women, will become a better place for women to live in the times to come.

We can only hope for a positive change.

SABKA MAUKA

 

Star Sports' Mauka Mauka TV commercial might be gaining a lot of popularity in India, probably due to the fact that our patriotism is measured by the yardstick of how much we can outdo our neighbour Pakistan. The first commercial, where the Pakistani fan kept arranging for celebrations at every World Cup encounter against India ended up getting frustrated each and every time was very funny, and I almost fell off my chair laughing.

However, it's not funny anymore. The fun changed to anxiety from the third part in the series. I mean, it's funny as long as you're winning. But if reality doesn't play along with your plans, things can get really embarassing. The commercial has begun to reek of arrogance on India's part, and I think they should really stop it before India falters (I hope not) and the chant comes back to haunt Indian fans. 

It's one thing to cheer your team. But when enthusiasm turns to arrogance, we need to pull back a little bit. We must remember that all the teams are talented and even the seemingly weaker teams are capable of pulling off a surprise.

WE WONT GIVE IT BACK

THE ICC World Cup has taken centre-stage once again. The event, that happens once every four years, keeps the whole world Desis and the Desi diaspora engrossed for close to a month. About 14 teams are playing this time, and I hope at least 1 minnow team makes it through to the knock-out stage. I always support the underdogs.

India enters the tournament as defending champions. Hope they win the World Cup for the third time.

The "We Wont Give It Back" catchphrase is really good. I love it.

Hope we really don't give it back, at least not without a fight.

Overall, however, it would be nice to see a team like South Africa, who have encountered bad luck consistently, to win too.

May The Best Team Win!