A Home Win
India’s victory in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Final in Mumbai provoked unbelievable scenes of spontaneous joy and celebratory tears. A nation of over 1 billion people will embrace their heroes from this day forward and, I suspect, the mother of all parties has just begun.
As I watched on TV in England, I reflected on the wonderful achievement of the game’s greatest ambassador Sachin Tendulkar, and his teammates, who dealt superbly with the expectation of winning the Cricket World Cup as host nation, the first team to do so in the competition’s history.
For Sachin, after a 20 year career that began a few years after India won their first World Cup in 1983, the first victory in six World Cups, was the culmination of a lifetime’s ambition and hard work. Collective achievement is what defines a cricket career, and for Sachin, who missed the ICC World T20 victory in South Africa in 2007, experiencing the victory lap after the World Cup Final in his home town of Mumbai must be beyond even his wildest dreams.
After the presentation ceremony, he shared some intimate thoughts:
“I couldn’t have asked for anything more than this. Winning the World Cup is the proudest moment of my life. Thanks to my team-mates. Without them, nothing would have happened. I couldn’t control my tears of joy.”
I watched my friend Gary Kirsten being paraded around the outfield by his team, to acknowledge the superb role he has played as Coach to Team India these past three years. Sachin’s generous post-match tribute to Gary’s role as Coach, and the input of his support staff was succinct but telling. He said:
‘‘Gary’s contribution has been immense.’’
I know from many years of first-hand experience that Gary is a fine man. He is also a top quality coach, who pursues and inspires excellence simultaneously. The smile on Gary’s face which as big as the African continent contrasted to the haunted look he wore as a palyer when (as a player) South Africa lost the World Cup Semi-Final to Australia in 1999. He deserves his moment in the spotlight, as the quality of his leadership has been suitably understated as to empower his Captain and players at every opportunity.
His great friends Paddy Upton and Eric Simons, (my long-term friend and former teammate at Bellville CC in Cape Town), were at his side in the job, as trusted assistants.
All three men will now return home, richly enhanced by their experiences with India. India will be left a wonderful legacy from their tenure.
Sri Lanka were worthy finalists and played a good game in the Final. Mahaela Jayawardene’s century was delightful, mixing orthodoxy with creative flair at quicker than a run a ball. He must feel very low tonight after losing consecutive World Cup Finals.
The iconic Murali bows out of the world game with 800 Test wickets and 519 ODI wickets to his name, career records which are likely to be untouched by anyone in the future. He finished his career on Sri Lankan soil with a wicket off his last ball in Test cricket and also in ODI cricket. However, sadly for him and his people, he could not add another in the World Cup Final, and bring further glory to his nation.
On the day Jose Mourinho lost his 9 year unbeaten home record as a Manager in Professional Football (when Real Madrid lost to Sporting Gijon), Sachin Tendulkar and India enjoyed their most satisfying home win ever.
Home is where the heart is. Gary Kirsten, Eric Simons and Paddy Upton will return home to Cape Town, possibly to re-establish South Africa as a world force again, while Sachin and his colleagues will party on to their heart’s content for some while at home in Mumbai.
Such joy is timeless.
