LET CRICKET JUST BE CRICKET

-Nishant
It being the Wednesday that would make way to the history books, at least of cricket, most of my office colleagues were in a festive mood, discussing all that can be discussed about cricket by those who never got beyond their ‘gullies’ to play cricket.
And between all this, I was flipping pages of the very popular book, which we the netizens call Facebook. I bumped into this status message of a friend, which goes like this, “1 lakh for a 10k ticket, 17 lakhs for a 10 second advertisement, 22000 for a one way ticket to chandigarh on wednesday morning flights, Richest men in asia fighting for jet parking space at chandigarh airport, 1 billion hearts synchronized at the same level, 75% productivity of the most upcoming nation stopped on the final day of the financial year..No, this is not just a cricket match…cheers” (sic).
Well, very true, it’s not just a cricket match, it’s beyond that and has turned into inanity. Every time I hear people predicting the outcome of the 2nd semi-final of the CWC 2011, I pity them. On a small request to be normal and stay relaxed about the outcome of a cricket game, I am usually told “Brother, it’s an India versus Pakistan cricket match…it’s about or country…how can you expect us to be relaxed?”
Well, I proudly say that I am a patriotic Indian, but I am in no way excited about cricket the way most of my countrymen are. As read somewhere, in my personal opinion as well, an India-Pakistan cricket match is a giant fork that makes the subcontinent's air thrum with malign vibrations.
Can India not express such a volcanic eruption of patriotism for things that matter to INDIA and Indians? Can we all not stand united in the name of democracy when the country goes to polls?
That apart, is there any justification of the conspicuous consumption of money in the name of cricket? My simple question to all those who get to read this is, will the Indian poor benefit in anyway by the outcome of this match?
I agree that this match promises thrill with its entire frill, but then there has to be a limit to it. You cannot go mad like this for a simple field game, which people play to stay fit and entertain themselves and people watch for entertainment. And the brouhaha had been justified had the victory meant an end to the Indo-Pak dispute and the battle for one-upmanship.
I wish to request all my countrymen to behave responsibly and let cricket just be a game. Come on India, we can be better at expressing our love for the country. So, express it when it really matters.