There is a famous Paulo Coehlo quote. "When you really desire something from the heart and soul, all the universe conspires you to achieve it". I heard it for the first time in 2007. But realized its meaning only on the night of April 2, 2011.
I was in XIIth grade. The new term had just started. I didn’t want to go to school that day. It was the Final of the World Cup, after all. In India. With India playing. Though quite young, I could sense euphoria in the air. There was nothing but the talks of the final everywhere. This is one thing that has driven me towards sports. It unites in ways you can't even imagine. It felt like the whole nation had come together in pursuit of a collective dream.
I missed the toss. It was only later I learned that the coin had gone for a flip not once but twice on that eventful day. Sun had set down by the time India’s chase began. Sachin, playing his sixth and last World Cup, batting in the final at Wankhede. Universe was definitely conspiring. His stay at the crease wasn't a long one but showed glimpses of his genius. That straight drive to Kulasekara still turns me on. Tensions soared after his dismissal. Every ball from there on was like an anti-climax. Only when the result had become apparent that I started to feel the magnanimity of the occasion.
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Fireworks, sweets and greetings all around. Streets were taken over by ecstatic celebrations. It felt real. Personal. Maybe because social media hadn't corrupted our lives yet. A generation lived their dream while inspiring another generation to embrace this beautiful sport and strive towards reaching its pinnacle. Probably that's what World Cup wins do. They give you an identity and legacy to be proud of.
The 28-year wait had ended. Dhoni had achieved the unthinkable. Sachin was a world cup winner. That night I understood what it meant to pursue a dream. What it takes to achieve it. And that sometimes it's just not you who is enough. It's a collection of a lot of things that have to fall in place so that a dream is realized.
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