SUPER SACHIN'S DOUBLE

You have to be a die hard fan of a cricket (or a fool as some would say) to wake up at 3am in the wintry night of Chicago on 24 feb'10 to follow a cricket match. I plead guilty on both counts and that is what i did. I woke up at 3am to follow the 2nd ODI of India vs South Africa at Gwalior, India. The operative word here is FOLLOW. Yes, i can not watch cricket live here on TV as it is not a part of our DISH package. The pay channels that show cricket are far too expensive. So, i got up at 3am and followed the match on my favourite web site CRICBUZZ.
Right from start Sachin played his shots well. After loosing Sehwag very early, Sachin and Dinesh played good cricket at a fast clip and built a huge partnership. Cricket, like Life, is all about partnerships. We had three important ones -- first the near 200 one between Sachin and Kartik scored at over run a ball, Sacin getting his 46th ton and Karthik his fifty in the process. Then came the second win between Sachin and Yousuf pathan. They milked around 70 runs in the batting power play from 34th to 39th over. The final one was between Dhoni and Sachin that took india to 401 for 3 in 50 overs.
This partnership was crucial to Sachin getting the records. FULL CREDIT TO DHONI for blasting the proteas away and letting Sachin concentrate on his job WITH OUT ANY PRESSURE. Once in his 190, Sachin had the records in sight.
First he went from 193 to 195 and broke the record for highest score in a ODI hither to held jointly by Saeed Anwar of Pakistan (against india in early 90s) and John Coventry of Zimbabwe (against Bangladesh last year). Honestly, it did not sound right all these years, having Anwar at top. If you see his ODI record, it was modest at best, though, like many pakistanis, he reserved hi best aginst India. So, it was with a great joy that we watched Sachin demolish tthis record and became NUMERO UNO. Just to put things in right perspective, Anwar used a runner in getting that record (when he cramped). Sachin did not use any runner, and, was on field from ball one when india bowled.
From 195 to 199, sachin travelled slow and steady. You could see that he was determined to get there at the peak. Dhoni, meanwhile, had most of the strike and kept blating away. Then came the 50th over with Dhoni on strike. He blasted a four. He tried a second one which was stopped by Amla diving and gave a single, which brought the Master on strike. Sachin played Langveldt square to the point region and ran for the single. HE BECAME THE FIRST PLAYER TO GET A DOUBLE HUNDRED IN ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL CRICKET.
Just think about it. One day internationals are played for over FORTY YEARS NOW. Thousands and thousands of matches have been played in all these years. First there was the 60 over format and then the 50 over format. AFTER FORTY ODD YEARS SACHIN IS THE FIRST ONE TO SCORE A DOUBLE HUNDRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS LIKE BREAKING THE 10 SECONDS BARRIER IN 100 METERS RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!IT IS LIKE CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST FIRST TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IF THAT DOESN'T THRILL YOU, SORRY MAN!!!!!
HERE ARE SOME MORE FACTS---
-- He has done it against a very strong team like south africa.
-- His innings was chance less
-- He played all 50 overs and did not ask for a runner, even with slight cramps at end.
-- He scored his 200 in 147 balls with 25 fours and three sixes.
-- He helped India amass 400, win the match, win the series and retain it's number two spot.
HE IS ALL OF 36 YEARS OF AGE AND PLAYING FOR OVER 20 YEARS NOW.
LOOK AT HIS COMMITMENT, CONSISTENCY AND FITNESS. HE HAD HIS UPS AND DOWNS, BUT ALWAYS BOUNCED BACK.
MOST IMPORTANT, HE CONTINUES TO ENJOY HIS CRICKET AND PLAYS IT WITH COMMITMENT.
HE IS NEARING A HUNDRED FIFTIES AND A FIFTY HUNDRED IN ODI CRICKET.
THERE MAY BE MANY PRETENDERS BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE KING.
AREN'T YOU PROUD THAT SACHIN IS AN INDIAN???
I AM , I SAY IT AGAIN AND AGAIN, SACHIN IS A JEWEL AND GOD'S GIFT TO INDIA.
HE HAS DEDICATED THIS RECORD TO THE PEOPLE OF INDIA.
GOD BLESS YOU SACHIN.