Cricket- A Game That Unites a Nation

Cricket! Hmm, what can I say about this sport? Actually, for me, it’s not just a sport. It’s a community, an opportunity for loved ones to come together and be on the same team. Cricket’s one of the sports that I’ve been watching ever since I was a kid. One of my most fondest memories with my family came because of cricket.

            As a kid, I always knew when there was a cricket tournament going on, even if I didn’t understand how the sport worked exactly. My neighborhood was always a big fan, celebrating after every match India won. One of my most fond memories are when I used to come home after playing downstairs with my friends, T-shirt sticking to my back because of the Mumbai heat, the humidity and hot summer sun casting a blaze on my face. As I stepped into my house, the blast of wind from the air conditioning greeting me was one of the greatest reliefs. Looking up, I would always see my parents in the same position, the memory a clear image in my mind. My dad would be on the back couch, leaning on one arm, cheering on Team India. My mom on the couch on the side, eyes glistening with rapt attention, she too would shout and high five my dad every time that one of her favorite players hit a boundary or a sixer. This was my first inclination towards loving cricket, and I have grown even fonder of it since.

I remember when we won the world cup in 2011, the crowd going crazy outside on the streets. I was just three then, not understanding why everyone was extremely happy, but growing excited just because I saw fireworks in the sky and the smiling faces of the entire cricket team as they held the world cup in their hands. Rushing downstairs, feeling taller than everyone as I sat on my dad’s shoulders, I laughed and screamed at the top of my lungs, just because everyone else was doing the same. I am so glad I got to witness that feeling. The feeling when everyone comes together and celebrate for the same cause. For me cricket’s another one of my favorite festivals, because everyone celebrates it the same way. They forget their differences and come together just because they believe in the same thing. Victory for India.

I’m grateful to have gone to a school where they give exposure to different kinds of sport every season, one of them being cricket of course. I remember my dad would teach me some basic batting styles whenever we stayed in our second home. We would spend hours just tossing the ball to each other, the other hitting with jubilation. When I was young, whenever I scored, my dad would lift me up and carry me around the lane, giving me the best victory lap I would ever have in the entire world. Those days with my dad are really special, us still keeping the tradition with some other sports if not cricket. At school, there would be a different buzz around when the world cup or the IPL (Indian Premier League) was going on, always a restless sort of energy as we waited in anticipation for India to get that crucial wicket or for our favorite player to hit a century. Those times were really special.

Another reason I grew so fond of cricket was because of the movie 83. It’s a Bollywood movie on the 1983 world cup, the first time Team India won in any cricket world cup. One of the reasons it’s so special and close to my heart is because I loved the passion and determination in which they played, each player fighting their own battle, coming together and supporting each other as a team to win the tournament and hold the world cup in their hands for the first time.

That same anticipation was seen this year, when India was this close to holding the world cup once again. We had won all 10 of the matches before the final, ready to take on Australia in the last leg of the tournament. Though Australia surprised us all with their wonderful strategy and incredible sync between their team. Some disappointment was definitely faced after Australia won, but I am so proud of Team India for reaching the finals and playing their best. As we learned from this match, the harsh reality teaches us to be resilient. Failure is not the opposite but in fact the part of our success. This match was the first loss they faced in 11 games. It’s truly a feat, and I will eagerly be waiting for them to hold the cup once again in 2027! - Navaka

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