We are Forever ft. Us

Dancing into oblivion: Champions Trophy 2013

23rd June, 2013

6 was needed off the last ball, and a bowler was at the crease.

Behind the stumps, Dhoni played a shadow shot and nodded at Ashwin.

This is what he'll go for.

Ashwin nodded back. He looked confident. He walked to his mark confidently.

Just the smallest hints of nervousness in his movements went unnoticed by most.

"Tredwell..." cried Harsha Bhogle to the country as Ash released the ball.

Tredwell played the same shot the Indian captain had shadowed half a minute back.

"TREDWELL MISSES. DHONI MISSES TOO, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. INDIA WIN THE CHAMPIONS TROPHY."

***

That day, Birmingham Cricket Ground, Edgebaston, saw a bunch of men in their twenties utterly and entirely out of their minds.

Even Mahi had rarely seen such chaos, and he'd won a World Cup.

But there was a difference between a veteran team having played for years and an inexperienced one put together haphazardly and hastily a month before an international tournament began.

That night, they were all more than a bit mad.

The group hug, jumping up and down went on for almost ten minutes. Mahi, standing placidly at the side, could hear mostly stupid chants of, "WE WON! WE WON! WE WON!"

The kids didn't seem capable of saying much else.

Then Shikhar got the Golden Bat, Rohit shouting at the top of his lungs, "HE'S MY PARTNER! HE'S MY OPENING PARTNER! WE OPENED TOGETHER! MAHI BHAI, WE OPENED TOGETHER!"

"Um, Ro," said Mahi. "I know."

"MAHI BHAI, WE OPENED TOGETHER AND WE WILL ALWAYS OPEN TOGETHER! HE IS MY FAVOURITE BATTING PARTN--"

"Hello?" said Virat.

Rohit was saved by Jaddu being called for Man of the Match of the final as well as the Golden Ball.

"See, Ash," said Jaddu in a superior voice, alluding to some inside joke Mahi had no idea about, and started to stride to receive his booty, but he didn't go far.

Ash made a wild grab for him and caught his trousers, jerking Jaddu back. Everyone roared, the players and crowd alike, as Jaddu struggled to free himself.

"Ash," said Mahi bhai. "Is this what you want to be remembered for from this night in the future?"

Ash was vaguely aware that he wouldn't always be feeling so high on life, and if he went any further, he would probably end up regretting all his sober life, so he hastily let go.

Afterwards, when they were presented the trophy--Mahi quickly let Shikhar have it; he had no interest having his team ogling at him like a pack of wolves--and thereupon began the fight for the trophy. Shikhar raised it and kissed it, and Jaddu wanted to do the same, claiming the Golden Ball was as important as the Golden Bat, but had Mahi thought Shikhar would let go?

Of course not.

Jaddu had to kiss it with Shikhar still keeping a possessive hold on it. Virat and Rohit and Bhuvi tried to put a finger to it around and above the two stars over the first round of photographs.

Mahi wished there had been only one round of photographs.

But no.

They still had to pose in front of the 'CHAMPIONS' banner and Virat lost it entirely there. He began with dancing, which wasn't so bad ("Go, Virat, go!" shrieked Bhuvi, louder than anyone had ever heard him). Then it turned to push-ups and Mahi thought god only knew what. Hell, probably even god didn't know.