The Power of “ONE”
3:18 AM
JITIN
,
As Australia marched into the semifinals of the World Cup cricket ’07 as the “ONE” & only team with an unbelievably unbeaten record yet again (the last time they lost a WC match was way back in 1999 vs Pakistan), it almost looked as if everyone else has resigned to the fate. Just have a look at the way the Aussie juggernaut has steamrolled the other 3 teams already in this event:
· South Africa: They amassed a mammoth 377 against one of the best pace attacks in the world, eventually winning by 83 runs.
· Sri Lanka: They routed the hapless islanders by 7 wickets in an utterly one-sided encounter.
· Newzeland: Now this was one team which had blanked the kangaroos handsomely by a margin of 3-0 in the last series before WC ( an awesome feat by any standards indeed). And it is horrible to contemplate what happened to them??? They were crucified by 215 runs in the last Super Eight match!!!
It’s no longer a contest anymore. It is a case of Total annihilation, complete decimation & absolute destruction of the opposition in all respects.
It’s the Power of “ONE” unleashed…
They say that sport is a great leveler. But let me ask you some questions:
How many times have we seen “ONE” tennis player from Switzerland win every single match, against every possible opponent, every single time, day in & day out?
OR
How many times have we witnessed “ONE” formula one driver winning every single race on every single surface & then every championship year after year after year?
OR
“ONE” golf player stamping his authority again & again & again!
“ONE” soccer player beating innumerable defenders to score an impossible goal!
“ONE” basketball player breaking all NBA records once & for all!
They also say that GOD is invisible! But in my opinion, these are the blessed times when GOD himself or herself decides to play on earth by entering into the souls of the mortals. There may be people who won’t agree with me, but then how do you explain these inexplicable achievements with a logical & rational school of thought? The fact is that you simply can’t do that!
Because there are certain things which are better left unexplained or if these have to be explained somehow, then we will have to believe that there are times:
When Roger Federer can’t hit a shot long or into the net, however hard he may try… When Michael Schumacher can’t slow down his Ferrari or take a wrong turn even if he wants to… When Tiger Woods can’t control his eternal magnificence even if he desires so… When Pele can’t pass the ball to a wrong player or hit wider of the goal post even from the half-line… When Michael Jordan can’t fail to shoot even from the farthest point of the opposite side of the court…
These are the times when “ONE” species ( be it a team or a player etc.) rules the kingdom of sport!
Now coming back to cricket, if this is what awaits the Proteas in the semis against the mighty aussies, then even the almighty can’t help them out, bcoz then they would be up against the GOD themselves. Then the lanka-kiwi match would only be fit for the runner-up position indeed.
But only time will tell whether or not the GODS decide to play again…
& whether or not: The Power of “ONE” is unleashed yet again…
The power of the 'ONE'.. !! I am impressed..
True, the Aussies have been on a terrifying rampage this World Cup like no other, it'd be a great injustice if they don't go on to win from here. However, I'll have to take exception to your opinion that all of these excellent sportsmen are 'gods'. Excellence in sport is something that is achieved not just by pure, raw talent but through a combination of talent and unstinting, unswerving, painstaking effort. Roger Federer may be an artist, but he also has a machine-like work ethic. Michael Schumacher may have been just about the most dedicated and determined person ever to play sport, and this is not to mention his tendency, at times, to tweak the rules of fair play and sportsmanship for his admirable ends. Again, people like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan wouldn't have been where they are today if they hadn't nurtured a furious desire to excel and outdo all competition.
The current Australian team is not the most talented team in the world. The Indian batting line-up is stronger than theirs, and the Sri Lankan bowling attack is better than McGrath & Co. Yet, the burning passion that drives all Aussie cricketers is what sets them gloriously apart, unreachable, untouchable. There is nothing God-like about them. It's just the ability to make full and devastating use of all that God has given them.
@ sidharth
thanx a lot sid...
keep visiting :-)
@ musab
well i think you have got me a bit wrong. actually what i meant by referring to GODS was that these sportspersons at certain points of time display performances of such magnificence, that they seem to be enacted by the GODS themselves. I am in no way comparing them to GODS. Infact, i completely agree with u that it requires much more than talent, the qualities that u mentioned to excel in sports. & ofcourse, they make full use of the powers that GOD has endowed them with. Hope i make myself clear now.
Well, I'm sorry to be argumentative, but you did say that 'God Himself or Herself decides to play on earth by entering into the souls of the mortals'. This, I'm sure you'll agree, is a fairly ambiguous statement, and I guess I took the wrong meaning.
I love aussies, look at them, even they were quite in shambles b4 WC but the way they recovered, and in time! they are the best team in the world and I think they will continue to be one for a long, long time. Also I wonder how their players dont age, dont retire, and even the new ones dont have so many discepancies as often cited as reasons for our players back home...
anyways lemme leave indian cricket outta this, they dont merit more attention and discussion, and Australians are awesome! stupendous beyond doubt!
@ musab
its ok buddy. u were not arguementative at all & also what is the purpose of an article if there are no critics involved. Well i agree that this statement is indeed ambiguous & there was some misinterpretation on both sides. But its always good to listen to the other side(critics).
keep visiting :-)
@ richa
ya ur absolutely right. One will run out of adjectives to describe their complete domination. They are simply the best in each & every department of the game. But lets hope that other teams also rise to this gigantic challenge & atleast give a fight to the aussie juggernaut. Otherwise cricket will become a no contest whenever the world champs are involved!
As for India, ur rite let them keep out of all this because they are one team incapable of unleashing "The Power of ONE"!!what they need now is some serious introspection!
keep visiting :-)