CWC 2011-"8 countries 1 dream"-The ICC cricket World Cup.

 The Cricket World Cup finally returning to the Indian sub continent after 15 years. Initially India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were to co-host this but Pakistan was withdrawn as a host due to the prevailing security concerns in the country (the final nail in the coffin was the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan). Now that the game has come to the knock out stages all the nail biting encounters are to its closing stages. The following are just a hint of the teams who will play the Quarters and then the Semis and to the grand Finale.

Now, that we are to the wire of the tournament there are 8 teams who are equal to each other in no means and out of which only one will emerge as the Champions

INDIA

Many consider this as India's best chance since 1983 to regain the World title. They were one step away from it 8 years ago and the media is full of buzz about how this could be the team's perfect gift to Tendulkar. Agreed that the team does look very strong but it really has to guard against all the pressure of playing at home. The World Cup is a big stage and the team has to transform all the talent on paper to action on the field for its forth coming knock out stages. The bowling might be India's weak link. I personally believe that the bowling from ZaK needs to come good for their own survival. India might well have the best batting line up presently but the flat decks would mean that it is the bowlers who need to shine if India has to make it far. My pick of the tournament would be Shewag and Zak. If they can remain fit for the rest of the tournament, India surely has a great chance at having a go at the title. The Indians have one good starter at top and they go like pack of cards towards the wire when it comes to batting and in bowling, the first few over are left wide open that the opponent capitalize and only when it comes to the spinners they turn it around for a real competition.

The major advantage of the knock out games will be for the Indians since they will play with full support of their home crowd if they knock their opponents at each stage.


The Quarters will be at Motera-Ahemadabad,
The semis at Mohali-Punjab and 
The finals will be at Wankadae-Mumbai. 

AUSTRALIA

When it comes to World Cups, one can never count out Australia. Their sheer love for the big stage and their immense experience playing in World Cup games always makes them stand apart. The Australian player to watch out for would surely be Shane Watson. He has been in great form of late with both the ball and the bat. None the less the Aussies who are the current defending Champions under the leadership of Ricky Pointing. 

PAKISTAN

By far, the most unpredictable cricket team on earth. They can be dismal and brilliant, both within just a space of a day. Pakistan has always been blessed with raw talent and this time is no different. On their day, Pakistan has the team to beat anyone in World Cricket. The recent success against the Aussies would have ensured that the team is in the right frame of mind.

ENGLAND

The English with a spate of injuries in the tournament means that they might just have a struggle to pick a first choice 15 with Morgan being the biggest name brought in for KP who had to leave the team when it needed him the most. The team is probably one of the better teams that England has fielded in the recent World Cups but it will really need its bowlers to come to the party if England has to harbor any hopes of going all the way in this tournament. 

NEW ZEALAND

The black caps New Zealand For them to be successful this time around, they would need at least 4-5 players to come to the party at every game and relieve captain Super Dan ( Daniel Vettori) of a lot of his burden. They somehow seem to magically bring their A game at a World Cup and the fact that they have made it through to the Semi Finals in some of the previous World Cups stands  testimony to that. 

SRI LANKA

The Lankan lions in their own den have always been one of the toughest opponents in World Cricket. Sri Lanka stands on the cusp of yet another World Cup victory and a perfect swansong for the great Murali if their lower middle order can get their act together. The top order seems to be fine and their bowlers have been steady in the recent past without being spectacular. Watch out for the toe crusher Malinga. He might just hold the key to Sri Lankan success this time around. 

WEST INDIES

The likes of Richards and Clive Lloyd would be shedding tears seeing what West Indies cricket is going through in the recent past. In the official ICC rankings, the team started off with a defeat to the South Africans. A new captain in Darren Sammy and a recall for the experienced Ramnaresh Sarwan, will hopefully work well for them. The man to watch out for has to be Chris Gayle the destroyer-in-chief.

SOUTH AFRICA

Long associated with the Chokers tag, South Africa would be waiting to shed the tag off at this year's World Cup. As always, they have an amazing team with each member of the team good enough to win a game on his own. They will be sweating on the fitness of Jacques Kallis, who can make a huge difference to the team composition. They are also probably waiting to unleash the spin talents of Imran Tahir, someone whom the international cricketing world saw him picking up 4 wickets in his debut match against the West Indies.

Ponniyin Selvan Fever

It was the time when I was enjoying my days here at Chennai by doing a lot of things without dedication which was very clear in my disciple like I used to wake up only by morning 10am and sleep late at night by chatting or Facebook’ing. I tried many fields that had ample opening for BE graduates they were banking for Probationary Officer and Clerical, the next was in the field of Radio jockey and production manager. Then last was my hobby of photography to change to an professional photography I had to spend more but never mind my parents were with me for whatever I did my dad used to say that he had to apply for 100 companies and finally the 101th company was ONGC. Now he is the Deputy superintend Officer and has a career for 22+ years at ONGC a government concern.

My thoughts would even move towards film making where I was simply making short stories out of a 3-1/2 hr movie where I had to edit or cut all the nonsense part so that it will turn to a short movie like if you remove the songs from a full length movie you can save 25 minutes keeping 5 songs and each 5 minutes which a tradition that being followed in movies now a days. At this point of time while I was browsing through the pages of behind woods a web portal for all kollywood buzz, I came across an article stating “Mani to take Ponniyin Selvan “. I was so much buzzed??????, because I knew from my dad who has three collection of Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan and takes a challenge to finish all the three parts whenever he comes off his duty. So I knew it’s going to be a challenge for Mani to take that movie but up to this point I never knew what Ponniyin Selvan is and who the characters the story was revolving around were. By this time I was still searching for a job after I had left my previous concern Sutherland Global Services for DELL L2 process and it’s been 3-4 months I’m home without a job and my pot belly growing bigger and bigger.

Ok let’s come back to the Ponniyin Selvan part while I was once preparing for an interview/test I discussed that what was published on that web page was it true regarding Mani Ratnam’s?? To my surprise my friend said he has already purchased the book and has finished it in a month’s time. The book consists of 5 parts once who is adorned reader takes a maximum of 36-38 hours to finish the complete novel. No doubt that he finished it in a month but the only difficulty I will face was he read the book in Tamil where as Tamil for me was like giving a flower  garland to a monkey???., So what I did was, I went to Landmark a known outlet for all types of books and materials and asked the keeper whether they had the mighty Ponniyin Selvan full collection in English? The keeper said he will make a note of the order and once it arrives he will give a ring and I can make a purchase, this made me feel better that the book had been published in English so people who don’t know Tamil need not worry there is an English translated version of it. Then it was by Feb 1^st week I purchased the Ponniyin Selvan complete collection (Like father like son) and placed in my cupboard. Everyone who used to visit the house will see the book and say great you have taken good step to read it but I never had a mind to go through or to check what exactly was in it.

It was almost 2 months from the Date of purchase that the book was laying on the rack, now I had joined NIIT studying JAVA web component and development, I had to travel for 4 hrs by bus sitting idly, so my brain worked here I dusted the 1^st part of Ponniyin Selvan “The First Floods” a green colored book. Now as of today I have finished the book it took me 16+ hours. As everyone from Tamilnadu say I too confirm that there is something in this book, if you have time then buy the set or at least lend it from a library or a friend and go through it you will find it interesting.

It now that Mani Ratnam has planned to take this novel  to a motion picture  it’s now a fever among all the youngsters like me and my friend, may be its just a profit for the book sellers or making the fan base high for Mani it’s all this that Ponniyin Selvan rocks….

An orange a day keeps a baby awake....

Statue

THE GIRL I MET IN TRAIN

It was not a normal day where I used to wake up late at 9 o'clock and get ready for my shift that starts at 2pm. That friday I had to start early and leave early from my office, because I have to start to kerala that evening to attend my friend's marriage. If you think that I am going to tell something about the trip to kerala… then you are absolutely wrong, this is about the train travel to office in that friday morning.

Went to beach station to catch my 8.30 train to Velachery, just ringed my friend who usually comes at that time…

"Hey machi… where are you da..?"

"….."

"come soon.. train is in 3rd platform… will start in few minutes.."

" ….."

"ok bye.."

After a few minutes, he appeared with a Friday casuals… we were walking fast to the 3rd compartment in which we usually travel… but that day unfortunately we didn't get the window seat. I usually bring a newspaper to read, so that I can pass the time in that one and a half hours long journey. But I didn't know at that time that this newspaper will give me such a beautiful experience.

The train passed "Fort" station, then came "Park town", where usually all the crowd comes in and occupies almost all the seats of the train. I don't know if it is my fortune or it just happened normally, a girl came and occupied the seat that was exactly opposite to me…

She was wearing a pink sleeveless top and a blue jean, she was bubbly and was so cute, I cant resist myself looking at her, I wont say that everyone will love her, but I can dare say that everyone will like her for her cute smile. Only sad thing is.. her Father was with her…

Me and my friend were looking at her. And enjoying each and every cute reactions that she gave while talking to her dad. But still, we were pretending to read the newspaper. But suddenly I can see her reading the news from my newspaper, and she was discussing about the same with her father, and she was wrong about almost every news, Her father was correcting and explaining her.

"Dai… this is ur chance… don't miss it…" Something told me from inside…

Next time she read a news and told the same to her father, as usual she was wrong, this time I interrupted and talked to her, corrected and explained about the news that she wrongly understood.

I didn't know why my friend was giving strange looks at me… anyway I didn't wanted to stop talking with her… Felt that he too wanted to talk with her… he tried his best, but she was more interested to talk  only to me…

"Where are you going?" she asked me…

"To my office" I replied…

Then she was asking about me and my workplace.. Wow… I was telling everything about me to her… then I asked her name, she suddenly looked her dad's face… man… c'mon why do these girls behave such a way…? Is she afraid to tell her name in front of her dad or is she not willing to answer me…? I was asking myself,

meanwhile her dad just nodded, and then she turned towards me and said "Aishu... "

"Sweet name…" I replied…

'Why did I say so…? Is that name really sweet…?' I asked myself and I was thinking whether to tell my name or should I wait till she asks it.. finally decided to wait, but that's sad, she didn't wanted to know my name. But she didn't stop talking to me, she was very jovial and she was telling about her studies and all the subjects that she has…

When the train reached "Kasthuriba Nagar", the man who was sitting near me stood up.

"shall I sit in that place…" she asked me…

I was perplexed for a moment, and I didn't answer anything…

"I like window seat… please…" she asked again…

Do you think that I refused this offer…??

'Nothing happens without a reason' I said to myself,  I really was fortunate not to get window seat today…

"then…?" I asked..

"then what…?" she replied..

"Where do you stay…?"

"E16, Pioneer colony, Anna nagar…" she replied immediately…

I didn't expect that she will tell her full address and her dad was giving mixed reactions… I didn't know how to react… I didn't ask any further questions…

There was complete silence for sometime…

"How long will it take for you to reach ur station..?" she broke the silence with this question..

"another 15 mins or so…" I replied…

"Where are you going…?" I queried this time..

"To my uncle's home.. took leave today.." she replied..

Suddenly my phone shouted with its ringtone, it was my friend, just a casual talk and I hung up…

"What phone is this…?" she asked..

"E71.."

"What is your phone number…?"

Man… this cute doll is asking my phone number… am I dreaming…?

My friend was also surprised… "machi… kekraa la… kudu da…" he told me…

"You wont give ur phone number to me…?" she asked againt

"y.. ya ya… w.. with pleasure… note it down…" I said with some breaking words

she pulled a paper and a pen from his father's pocket… and noted down my number digit by digit…

should I ask her number…? But I think she doesn't own a mobile…

"I don't have a mobile, can you take my father's number…?"

"yeah sure…" I said and noted the number…

but I don't think I will call her father and ask him to give it to her daughter who doesn't even know my name…

and my train was upto reach paranur…

"I am gonna reach… You wanna visit my office…?" I asked…

"No I will only be with my dad…" she said…

"Ok don't forget me… call me…"

"ya sure… will call you from my dad's mobile…"

I waved my hands at her… "bye…"

she waved back… "bye…"

 I got down… and still she was waving her hand from the window…

I could not forget her face… Aishu… I don't know if her name is sweet or not, but she really is a very sweet and cute girl… I could not forget her reactions… especially when she was telling about her class teacher and the rhymes that she told in english and tamil… After all… Whatelse can we expect from a 4 year old girl who is studying LKG.

Re shared from an e-mail....

Enchanting Tamilnadu