Our story - Cricket & Love strikes

What is, and What not?

Cricket. The fastest way of befriending an Indian. No matter which part of India it is, one can find a bunch of kids playing cricket with lot of enthusiasm.

That one game which I can’t just stand. No offence though, it’s just that I can’t make a head or tail out of it. People literally go crazy when India has a match with Pakistan - a country with whom we have had three wars in the past. Like literally glued to their seats. Cricket is the ‘religion’ of India – YOU COULD SAY. The only three cricketers I know are Sachin, Dravid and Anil Kumble because dad often used to bring this topic during breakfast.  ‘Men in Blue’ as they call the team -are absolutely adored by the crazy cricket fans.

Oh wait! Did I introduce myself? Why is this girl babbling about cricket now you may ask!  Wait. I’m in such a dilemma.

I’m Mia malhotra -19 yr old freak -pursuing 2nd year in NIIFT, Delhi. Great isn’t it? Oh yeah absolutely. If you are not in fashion, you are nobody. A person who was clearly not interested in fashion is using that now in its widest sense. I ain’t a geek but you may judge me as one instantly.

I live in Paschim Vihar in an apartment with my best buddy Aditi Roy. She’s like a Rockstar to me! Best Friend? More like my sister. She resembles Rhea in many ways. Wait you may think like now who is Rhea? She’s my own sister. 6 years elder to and yeah she’s married.  Okay now, back to Aditi! She has got this boy- Viaan Kapoor trapped in her so called love. Just kidding. Yeah, they’re in love. And I adore this couple.

Viaan and I share a bond like how a sister and brother does. And to be precise I’m more attached and close to him than Aditi. Forgive me my cute Aditi bitch. People should know.  Where was I? Don’t bother! Let’s get ourselves ready for this rollercoaster of reality.

Okay back to that thing about cricket.

“Viaan!! I don’t want to come! I’m just going to make a fool outta myself! Why don’t you understand? I-I –“

By the time I completed my whining he cut me in, “Shut up princess! You are going to come with me and that’s final.”

He and his princess games. I literally melt hearing that word. Why can’t he just understand that I don’t understand cricket!

Wait do you know the matter? Yes, viaan has got match tickets for Ind vs. Pak  T20 match held at feroz shah kotla stadium today at six. And the most unfortunate fact is that I’m going to accompany these cricket addicted love birds. Isn’t that a tragedy already?

“Okay, I will come. But you have to teach me the basic knowledge about this cricket so that people won’t think I’m from a parallel universe. If that’s a yes from you then its fine. Or else feel free to see me waving goodbye to you when you guys start for the stadium from here “, I smirked. What’s better than seeing your brother sigh in defeat nodding to abide by my deal?

Aditi chirped in, “you are too much. Leave him!”

Oh Aditi! Guess who asked me to accompany them to match. I’m not going to leave them so easily. Sigh! Maybe its okay, after all cricket is not that bad, you may never know unless you get familiar with it.

Two hours later.

Isn’t cricket some sort of insect? Why do I want to know about a game that’s named after an insect? Okay after a boring five minutes introduction about cricket. Finally I agree to give cricket a try. Viaan shows me videos of the things used in cricket. People are that jobless? Uploading the basics to learn via video. Technology has improved, I must admit that.

Wait? What is all this stuff?

“it’s a helmet, elbow guards, back guards, shin guards….”,viaan continued. WHAT SORT OF GAME IS THIS ANYWAY? I don’t even know where some of these guard things go…oh I see. Well some are just embarrassing.!

Okay. Viaan tried to explain the rules of the game to me:

There are two teams. Oh obviously like I didn’t know!? Gaah. Each team has eleven players- ok, I got that!

one team bats and another team bowls! Oh okay. That pretty cool.

Here comes this confusing thing.

“First team bats until they get out. Then the other team is in. when they’re out , the first team is back until they’re out again. The first team has to get the other team out twice while staying in. “

Ehh?

Spin bowlers. How do you spin and bowl at the same time LOL?

You’ve got to hit the balls that’s bowled to you. Okay now that’s at least understandable. If the ball flew straight into the fielders hand  before It touches the ground then its out. You may see the umpire pointing his finger to the sky stating that the batsman is out! Why is there any bird flying? Okay. Jokes apart serious studies.

If the ball hits the stick with bits of wood on top what they call as stump, then its OUT. If the ball hits you on the legs in front of the wicket - he’s out. DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE?

In cricket the batsman has got to run between the wickets and each run is like a point. Unless you hit the ball to boundary, that’s a four. When it flies over boundary without touching the ground it’s a six.

 Who the hell makes this stuff up> runs, fours, sixes? Gaaahhh. That’s complicated.

DUCK. WTF? If a batsman gets out before scoring a run then it’s called a duck.  

“Okay okay. Enough. I can manage with this!!!! Please leave me viaan…..”I whine with all my might.

“okay, these are the players in today’s team…….dhoni, raina , dhawan, yuvraj……..And then there’s this rockstar who’s smashing it!! VIRAT!”

Dhoni? Ok. Raina ? Ok. VIRAT? THIS NAME LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. HAVE I HEARD ABOUT THIS ONE ANYWHERE? Hmmm, as if I care.

“okay, okay enough you both. Get ready! We’ve got to go!”  Aditi screamed. Oh yeah that excitement.

Hope this game is good. who knows what my life has in store for me? LOVE? PASSION? idk. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

first chapter of this book ! hope you enjoyed :) vote and comment if you like :)