One lazy afternoon after another

Its been an uncharcateristic silence for a while I know, but I just don't feel like putting my thoughts down right now. Mostly this has to do with scattered thoughts that would be a jumble of words anyway, even if I did get around to the blog before they disappeared.

Its just been a few lazy days. Its been a while since I just kicked back and relaxed, did nothign all day, except listen to music, hang out with friends all the while not frantically looking at my watch to see how much time I had left till my shift. Its a good break, and honestly, I am quite happy I didn't accompnay my family to Dubai- that would have exhausting, quite the opposite of what I am doing these days, and so even though I am mixing out on this region's most dynamic cities, I am sure it shall wait for me.

....

As I type this out, Pakistan is playing New Zealand in Chandigarh, India - and man, we are getting whacked around. 65/3 is Pak's score, and that is abyssmal consiering three of our best batsmen are now out within the first ten overs, that too, facing a dismal New zealnd bowling attack. This team will never learn. What a rollercoaster ride the last month has been for the Pakistanis. First the test match in which they forfeited (under shady circumstances), then the fine and ban on their captain, then redignation by Pakistan Cricket Board members, not to mention the replacement of its Cheif, and lastly, the drug abuse allegations against two of Pakistan's best bowlers. This team had to be on everyone's top four list to win the World Cup and now, they'll bes lucky to get past the Quarter finals. Shame, really.

The drug allegation against Mohammad Asif really really surprised me. I watched him at the stadium in his first game against England in Karachi, he was brilliant. Then, about a month later I watched him in his first game against India- 5 minutes into the match, after two brilliant deliveries to Rahul Dravid, Asif got him caught behind, a brilliant delivery and one of the finest batsmen in the world was left looking this 19 year old in his face, unsure of what had just happened. Man, if you ever want to hear a 40,000 capacity crowd lose its rockers at the same instant, cue up that moment in that match. Then, in the next over, with Sachin Tendulkar, that great stalwart of Indian cricket, that batsman who has accumulated laurel after laurel, humiliated bowler after bowler, taken his team from the depths of anonymity to the epoch of sporting excellence, with Sachin Tendulkar on strike, Asif thundered in, the crowd anticipating the flex of his muscles, pin drop silence at Karachi's National Stadium- and what happens? a wicket. Out. Khalaas. Get out of my sight, buh bye, see you later Mr. Tendulkar.

Lets get this straight- others have gotten Tendulkar out. He is human after all. You can have him caught, you can run him out. You can get him Leg Before Wicket. You can even, if your mother prayed really hard for your success, have his off stump rocked. But that's not what Asif did. Asif, this 19 year old, did something that only two other bowlers in modern cricket can boast of, he did the impossible, he rocked Tendulkar's mid-stump, his arrow pierced the lion where it hurts most, he went into the cave and did it to him while he was awake. You think I am exaggerating? Find a cricket fan and ask him. This was phenomenal. This is was against all odds. This kid had just handed two of India's biggest stars their walking papers in the space of 5 balls. Surely we had witnessed the birth of a star, surely he would be worshipped by many a god-fearing fan.

I can't even explain the mayhem, nay, the pandemonium that resulted when the bowler yelled, OuTTE! and the batsmen, in the same position he was in before the ball rocked his wicket, just stared backwards at his lost mid-stump. I can't explain what happened the moment the stump was uprooted and how it flew towards the wicket keeper. It was magic. 40,000 fans- young kids, complete college classes, grown men, burqah clad women, vendors, ball boys, commentators, everyone just jumped. Jumped and screamed. Chants of Allahu Akbar. Naarae Takbeer! PANdemonium, people. Pure, unadulterated brilliance.

And now, all that is lost. Its a sour victory now. Those memories will always be tainted with what happened two weeks ago. Asif caught using nandrolone. Really, really sad. I can't say anymore. Its a fan's worst dream come true- to see his heroes brough down so suddenly from their pedestal of excellence, shamed forever.

The score is now 92/4 - Pakistan's going to have to build a formidable partnership between Mailk and Yousif to have any chance of getting to 275. I'm gonna get back to watching the game. Peace.

Oh, and a belated Eid Mubarak and Happy Diwali to all.

ps: yesterday, I was watching a Premiership game, CHE vs. WHU. All game long I kept wondering why Drogba was not playing for Chelsea today. I kept cheering Chelsea on against West Ham United. I left the game abruptly at 2-2 when I realised, for the first time during the game, that CHE stood for Chesterfield and not Chelsea. Its been way too long since I watched football on a regular basis, and if this humiliation does does not prove to be a catalyst towrds a more football intensive daily schedule, nothing ever will.