Thank you, Team India

25th June 1983. I woke up to my mom excitedly telling me that Kapil Dev's India has won the world cricket cup for India. While I knew what cricket was - I was not sure what a world cup was nor who in the world Kapil Dev was. But I got to know in the next few days and also a lot more about the game of cricket my knowledge of which was limited to playing gully cricket with my brothers. Those few days of knowledge was a pre-cursor to what would become a life's dream - to experience India win a world cup again.

I followed India's fortunes under a host of different captains - Kapil Dev, Vengsarkar, Srikkanth, Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and then some more. While we did seem to posess individual brilliance, record makers and stylish wristy players, we never seemed to click as a team. Sure there were wins here and there to keep fuelling our almost fanatical obsession with the game, but nothing to repeat the brilliance of 1983 or 1985(when we won the Champions Trophy).We (the Indian cricket fan) prayed, we hoped, we wore the same clothes as we did on the day Indian won a game, some of us did not even watch the telecast because we thought we were jinxing the team, we stood together as a nation hoping against hope that our team would do us proud. Yes it did - but more times than not. Disappointment reined large most of the times. We seemed to have perfected the knack of 'snatching defeat from the jaws of victory'. The term seemed coined for us. Still we dreamed the impossible dream. We cursed, we swore, we poked fun at our failing players, but we followed their fortunes like they were our own!

1987 we watched as Graham Gooch and Mike Gatting swept our hopes under the carpet, 1992 - we envied our arch rivals as they lifted the world cup, 1996 - JayaSuriya changed the face of one day cricket as he clobbered everyone out of the field and we watched as our team was at the receiving end. From 1999 onwards we watched as Australia dominated world cricket and also world cup cricket. We tried to end their dominance once, but ended up just nibbling at their toes. Indian cricket seemed doomed. The Indian cricket fan more so. My dream of watching India win a world cup seemed more distant than ever.

But then we came across a man with long flowing hair who batted and looked like a dream..MS Dhoni was put in charge of affairs and slowly but surely things seem to change. I was not following cricket anymore - more so because of where I lived rather than anything else. I still retained the same passion as I ever did for Indian cricket. I had just grown tired of 'haath ko aaya par muh na laga!' all the time. Things did seem to slowly change as India sought to end Australian dominance. Gary Kirsten was bought in. Slowly, but surely things seemed to change. Dhoni at the helm of matters seemed to help. I watched in wonder as India were touted as favorites for winning the 2011 world cup.

Once bitten, twice shy. I supported team India with all my heart, but had misgivings when they could not finish at the top of their group. They lost to South Africa and tied with England. The only teams they seemed to beat were the minnows. Were we once again in the 'hoping for best' boat and needed to be in the 'be prepared for the worst' boat?

Loosing 7 wickets for 30 runs did not seem to be the calling of a champion and once again the confidence waned. Surely we could not beat 3 big teams to lift the world cup. No way. 28 years later we seemed to trodding down the familiar path.

Then the quarterfinal match against Australia happened. I marveled as the Indian team did not choke at the point I expected them to. Yuvraj singh stood tall. Raina joined him and saw us through 80 odd runs. It was mesmerizing. It was joyous. The feeling was different. This did seem like a team that could go all the way. There was yet another hurdle to overcome. Arch rivals Pakistan. We seemed to stutter there a little, but once again there was no choke. We had newer players - non stars - making important contributions towards the end. Something I had never seen the erstwhile Indian cricket teams do. But the victory was not as emphatic as I'd have liked. Pakistan could have taken it away from us had they been more disciplined in their fielding and batting. But yes we were definitely the better team. I gained a little more confidence.

Today it happened. All those years of fervent hoping, praying and doing everything in one's power to try to make it to happen. I watched as Zaheer bowl 5 overs for a meager 6 runs, I watched as the inclusion of Sreesanth bite Dhoni right where he didn't want it to, watched as Yuvraj Singh morphed into a true all rounder for India as he plugged away at the Sri Lankan batsman, watched a masterful century from Mahela Jayawardane, watched Sri Lanka seemed to take the match away from us in the final 5 overs - watched as our premier paceman Zaheer Khan was taken to the laundry for the first time in the tournament, watched as the Sri Lankan batsmen celebrated as they reached 274 - hitting a mighty six of the last ball of their innings. My heart skipped a few beats. 274 seemed like a big score - but surely gettable.

We had to. There was no other choice. Well that thought was halted swiftly as Sehwag and Tendulkar left one after other. I am sure my heart skipped more than a few beats. Just when he seemed in full flow, the little master edged to Sangakkarra. Images of the Indian top order struggling against genuine pacers flooded my thoughts as we seemed to struggle against Malinga. Surely this was not happening! I am sure a billion hearts sank at that moment and am surer it happened again when the out of form Mahender Singh Dhoni walked in. Make no mistake, I love our captain dearly, think he is the finest captain ever - but his form was another thing. Well Dhoni managed to change all that in style. A knock of 91 like this for me is more precious than all the centuries in the world. I watched as our captain hit a 6 to make curry of the target in style. My eyes moistened as a long standing dream was realized. It took 28 years, but hey I am not complaining any more! We did it in style and then some more. More emphatically than we did the 1983 one.

We have so much to look forward to and I know that its not going to be another 28 years before we are at this point again. Indian cricket seems to be headed in the right direction and as usual we the fans will be there to cheer this juggernaut on – wince when the team stumbles, erupt when we win, offer support when it is needed, offer ridicule when it is not wanted...yes we shall be there!

I look at my team and my heart swells with pride. The way they have played - like the champions that they turned out to be - the way they made me feel today - seemed to be paisa vasool for all these 28 years of devotion and most of the what seemed like faith placed in the wrong place. I watched as the Indian team celebrated. My heart beat with them as I savored every moment of what they were going through. I could feel my hands around the cup as Tendulkar held it in his own. Yes, I had wanted it to happen for this man – along with my one billion counterparts. I watched as Dhoni walked a few steps behind the victory procession, flanked by Zaheer on one side and Sehwag on the other. Watched as Gavaskar extol Dhoni - as the man who did it for us, the leader who did it for India - could not have agreed with him more. But we did it like at a team.

Sure there were individual contributions and brilliance but I cannot imagine winning this cup without us working like a unit. Thank you Team India - each and every member for making this cup ours. For giving me this feeling that I won the world cup today. For all the days I pretended to work while I got up at 4am to follows the teams fortunes. For giving me the opportunity to get away from everyday life and be consumed by cricket for the past 6 weeks – once again live and breathe cricket – have minor heart attacks – curse, swear, exult and almost die! Go through all emotions in a matter of 15-20 minutes. Yes, only sports can make that happen. And for Indians there is only one sport that could inspire such emotion – the sport of cricket – our passion, our religion and now our pride and joy. Thank you Team India for making this happen.

Sehwag - Thank you for shredding all unneccesarily built up pre-match tension to pieces as you hit 5 smacking boundaries in one over from one of the leading bowlers of the tournament. Pakistan were put on back foot and never recovered!

Sachin - Thank you for being born! (in India that is. On second thought maybe we should be thanking his parents ;-)

Gambhir - Thank you for your fearlessness in carrying out the sheet anchor role. It's a joy to watch you on the front foot!

Kohli - Thank you for being our second anchor. I see a future captain in you!

Yuvraj - Thank you for showing us that you deserve to possess the arrogance that you display!

Pathan - Thank you for being a game turner Pathan. We look forward to your return.

Raina – What an endearing lad you are. Thank you for being the first one to be either climbing into a team mates arms or taking them in yours when a wicket feel. But thank you most for balancing the Indian innings when it was needed the most. We owe a part of the Australian and Paki victories to you.

Dhoni – Thank you for being the coolest captain ever! You make us proud – everytime!

Harbhajan – Thank you for being the cornerstone of the Indian spin attack. Please convey our sincerest thanks to all the Gurujis of the world. ;-)

Zaheer – Thank you for being so intensely good looking. Oops sorry! For giving us a breakthrough every time we needed one. You are THE bowler of the tournament!

Munaf – Thank you for your wonderful spell against the Pakis. You are an able partner to Zaheer.

Ashwin – Thank you for 2 amazing performances.

Nehra, Sreesanth and Piyush – Thank you for being part of this winning team. You contributed one way or other I am sure.

Thank you Team India, for this feeling of being on top of the world. It sure is a great view!