CLOSE-IN: Indian Cricket at the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’ (IANS Column)

Sri Lanka previously Ceylon, was known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” due to its pristine water and beaches. The “emerald island” was another name given to it because of the shape of the country and the lush green tea gardens and forests that it encompassed.

Similar to India, cricket has been a sport revered there because of the British. It was only in 1981 that they finally got recognised as a Test playing nation by the ICC.

Cricket encounters between the two countries have always been interesting battles, as both India and Sri Lanka play the same brand of cricket.

Indian cricket is at present in full force in the beautiful Island, with both the men and women cricketers there. The women are in scintillating form in the Asia Cup being played there and have qualified to play their semi-final match against Bangladesh.

The Indian women’s team looks head and shoulders above the rest of the Asian sides and are the favourite to win the trophy. The Indian men’s T20 World Cup win has somehow put that extra pep into the women as well. A stamp of authority is what one sees in their approach and both the batters and bowlers have been in pristine form.

A win in the Asia Cup, a trophy that the Indian women’s side has won in 8 of the 9 editions, should hold them in good stead for the T20 World Cup to follow in October 2024 in Bangladesh. The Indian side looks a formidable one having beaten Bangladesh convincingly in a 5 match T20 series and South Africa in the Test and One day International encounters. A Test match victory earlier in the year against a strong Australian side should also augur well for the growing confidence of the Indian women players.

India winning both the men and the women’s ICC T20 World Cups would truly be a feather in their cap. One can just imagine the repeat of the men’s welcome celebration bestowed now upon the women, leading through Marine Drive, the famous Queen’s necklace. It would be an ideal setting to anoint the King and Queen of world cricket.

The women’s side under the guidance of their coach, Amol Muzumdar, have a difficult task at hand, but the way Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Richa Gosh, Jemima Rodrigues and the others are performing, India looks like a very forceful side for any of their opponents to beat.

Meanwhile, the Indian men’s side under the newly appointed captain Suryakumar Yadav and the coach, Gautam Gambhir, will be transforming into a new beginning without 3 of their legendary T20 stalwarts, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja. India are the World Champions and even without them, they have the bench strength to do well. Although, the selectors have appointed Shubman Gill as the vice captain, one felt that with the next T20 World Cup 2 years away and the T20 cricket in the Olympics in 2028, appointing a younger player as a captain would have been far more beneficial.

Sri Lanka, after their disastrous outing in the T20 World Cup’24, will be itching to get back on their feet. For them to not qualify for the “Super 8”, of the T20 WC must have been a nightmare that needs to be forgotten. A T20 series win against India, would definitely give their reputation a big boost. They now have nothing to lose and playing at home could be just the tonic for them to do well.

Sri Lanka is not only active on the cricket ground, but behind the closed-doors as well. The ICC meeting, with 108 members attending it got over yesterday. The next T20 World Cup, as announced, will have 8 regional qualifying zones. This is great news, as cricket is gradually spreading far and wide. One gathers that cricket in the Olympics was the major topic of discussion. Los Angeles will finally have cricket in the Olympics after 128 years and one hopes it continues to be there for years to come.

The Olympics is the ultimate sporting platform for a sportsperson representing one’s country. Hearing one’s national anthem after a podium finish, along with a medal, is the glory that one aspires for. Both the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams have this goal to achieve and one that will warm the hearts of the millions of their supporters if they do so.

The BCCI’s financial contribution towards the Indian Olympic squad is a wonderful gesture. The hours of dedicated and, at most times the painful hard-work that go into being an international competitive sportsperson are tough and arduous. To give them support in any way one can is the only way to appreciate them.

One hopes for a glorious Olympics for India. The women’s Asia Cup win and the Men’s T20 and ODI series wins would be just the icing on the cake.

The eyeballs of sports lovers will be glued to the cricket in Sri Lanka and the Olympics in France.

The famous line from the song sung by Whitney Houston for the 1988 Olympics at Seoul, South Korea, comes to mind, “ Give me just one moment in time.”. Teams and individual sportspersons would be praying for just that.

–IANS

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