The world cup is here and until it’s over, Sri Lanka’s work is pending. The daily routine has changed, everybody lives cricket. It’s an addiction, they plan their days around it. The spirit is overwhelming. Like a black hole, you can’t help but be sucked in. Every conversation starts and ends with cricket. People bond over it, cry over it, and rejoice over it. Cricket brings the nation together. Helps them forget about their woes and their differences. People wait outside the gates of the stadium from dawn to seek a peek at their favourite cricketers. The majority of them are turned away but they try and try again. Rows upon rows of the stadium are filled with die-hard fans, and their heartbeats linger during the match. Fire burns inside them as the bowlers run to the pitch, lift their arms, and tilt their shoulders in the direction of the batter. I always wonder how they able to stop so abruptly after running so fast. I guess they train for that. The batter leans forward and hits the ball; the crowd holds their breath and roars in unison as the umpire raises both his arms to the sky signalling a sixer. The whole stadium comes alive; people at home cling their bottles and hug each other with joy.
Everywhere I go I see the youth practicing their bowling, batting, and fielding, whether with a team or alone, they yearn to play in the big leagues. Cricket is not a game; it is a passion, a remedy, and an escape.
No comments:
Post a Comment