An article on the first page of The Hindu:
Government declares
Bandhpublic holidayCHENNAI: The Government has declared March 31 a public holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act for all State Government offices, public undertakings including the State Transport Corporations and industrial establishments.
It is sad that there is a murder mystery that looms over this World Cup. If any of the players are implicated in this one, then the game would have really been hurt like never before. Even otherwise the game has been hurt. That Cronje’s death was okayed as natural death, sad that the same cannot be done with this one now.
T&T, can you keep our cricket team please?
Greg! Run for your life! We don’t want another Woolmer!
Dravid, please resign on moral grounds. We don’t have any other captain material though. But you are still our best bat!
Sachin, I don’t know who you let down more? Your fans or yourself?
Ganguly, you have made your two half-centuries. So you will be around for the next series. Good. That will keep some Bengalis silent for sometime. Unless, Tata Motors decides otherwise that is.
Yuvraj, what’s the use of being in form if you run like a blind horse?
Dhoni, 0, 29, 0. Is the foundation to your new house through Sir? Take my advice, don’t build those walls. You will anyway have to reconstruct them!
Sehwag, duh!
Harbhajan, the only flight that you know is that one which takes you back to India from the West Indies, right? (Are you really coming back to India? I mean safety is also a concern, eh? What say?)
Munaf, what were you smiling about on the pitch while batting, Bradman?
Zaheer, whenever you bowl the first over badly I get those jitters! There is something called “warm-up”, I am sure Greg has spoken to you about it.
Uthappa, ayta guru Dravid ge aa beer kudisidya? (Uthappa, did you get Dravid those beers you promised?)
Inspiration for the title: The best poster at yesterday’s match was held by an Indian. It said, ”T&T can you keep our cricket team, please”
On a usual Sunday morning, my sister-in-law and I proceeded to the Chennai airport in a state of drowsiness after having watched the drubbing India received at the hands of the so-called “minnows” Bangladesh. We were to take the Indian Airlines flight to Hyderabad. Our agendas were different though. I was going to Hyderabad to see my tata who was quite ill for sometime and she was there on some academic pursuit. The flight was delayed by ten minutes or so, as usual.
As usual, my brother was outside the airport doing a taxi with our car outside the airport to avoid the exorbitant parking fees. I gave him a missed call to signal that we were outside the airport and he could move towards the “Arrivals” gate. As usual, he came and we boarded amidst loud music orchestrated by the synchronised sounding of horns by the drivers of the cars behind us. As usual, we left the airport and reached home.
Countdowns are ticking away. Teams are getting ready. Everyone’s writing about it. There’s nobody who doesn’t know about it unless he/ she is staying outside India! There’s no team to bet our money on. I am not betting on any team today. But let me atleast list down my favourites. And the difference between the top and bottom on the list is almost nothing.
Australia, the traditional favourites, are on a losing streak 
and are presently a team of patients. Symonds, their best player, is injured. And they are a worried lot. They are talking all kinds of nonsense of making 500 runs in a single innings. Yeah, right, if you have teams like Bermuda, Scotland, etc. am sure the nonsense will enter into the records book. Whatever it is, I am not going to bet on Australia. But they still are my top favourite to win the cup. Yet again.
Australia’s line-up is still formidable. But they have lost that overwhelming feeling that would come over the opponent just on knowing that their opponent was going to be Australia. Every team now believes that they can beat Australia. And that’s what has made this World Cup the most open tournament ever in the history of international cricket.
South Africa are the #1 ODI team on paper. Their reputation for choking precedes their talent unfortunately. There is no doubt about their talent, but it’s the nature of pitches that they will get to play on that actually brings them down to being the second favourite. Any average spinner like Jayasuriya, Sehwag or even Tendulkar can bring this team on their knees on the West Indian pitches. They are on a roll and hence they might reach the semis on momentum but by technique and character they will not last the full race.
[Via email from Iti]
Celebration means…
Four friends.
Bahar barsaat.
Four glasses of beer.
Celebration means…
Hundred bucks of petrol.
A rusty old bike.
And an open road.
Celebration means…
Maggi noodles.
A hostel room.
4.25 a.m.
Celebration means…
3 old friends.
3 separate cities.
3 coffee mugs.
1 internet messenger.
Celebration means…
Rain on a hot tin roof.
Pakoras deep-frying.
Neighbours dropping in.
A party.
Celebration means…
You and mom.
A summer night.
A bottle of coconut oil.
A head massage.