Players who once used to play the game for the love of it, often spending money from their pockets, are now increasingly demanding a remuneration package befitting a CEO of a large multinational corporation. Some argue that sports is an art and that the talent of the player deserves the greens. Agreed. However, quite chillingly, when you recall the horrors of the recent global recession and yet, when you roll through the figures involved and invested in the games across the world, it will become difficult to believe that the two happened in the same world, at the same time.

I am quite the atheist when it comes to the religion of cricket in our country. I know its hard to believe that I even exist! But before you disown me and my article, being an atheist I must confess that I danced in my pyjamas on the streets in Central Delhi, with complete strangers when India won the world-cup (ah! memories) and I even ogle the men in blue.

In the Sherlock Holmes story, “The Adventure of the Norwood Builder”, Jonas Oldacre stages his murder and implicates in it a young man by planting false evidence against the latter. The innocent fellow is drawn deeper and deeper into the trap, until Oldacre makes the mistake of planting a fingerprint on a wall Holmes had checked earlier and declared devoid of any evidence. Oldacre lacked “the supreme gift of the artist, the knowledge of when to stop”, according to Holmes, who subsequently exonerated the young man and brought the malicious builder to book.

The French Open Final held on the 5th of June 2011 reopened the debate on which of the two finalists – Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal would be considered as the greatest tennis player in the Open Era. A combined tally of 25 Grand Slams ( Federer winning 16 and Nadal 9 –before the Final ) on the court provided a worthy final to the spectators but the result was all too familiar with Nadal again proving to be Federer’s nemesis by defeating him for the 17th time in their 25 meetings till date.

Facing fierce criticism from superpowers China and fellow Asian countries, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) in its council meeting decided not to introduce the regulations regarding the mandatory use of skirts and to “further investigate the new clothing regulations after accepting a recommendation from the Women in Badminton Committee.” Do you think a strict Dress Code anyhow helps a sport or the player?

Questions were aroused after the news that Sourav Ganguly, at last, is now playing for the Pune Warriors. Sourav Ganguly didn’t play for the Pune Warriors in the first couple of matches, were allayed by Subrata Roy-“I picked him as a Bengali brother, but it was a week before, when Swapna got a fish-bone in her throat and he refuses to pass the glass of water. Thanks to the good lord, she is well now.”

Cricket — A word heard rapidly from a new born child to 60 years old man in every country.

ICC Cricket World Cup — It only means Excitement…Excitement…Excitement…among all the nations…

Okay! So finally our country got hold of an opportunity we relish to the hilt. It was not a mere sport confrontation with Pakistan; it also unfortunately gave vent to the long suppressed ill-feelings for our neighbour. And it started breeding in every nook and corner right from the very day India entered into the semi-finals.

Before the quarterfinal match between India and Australia a lot of speculations were made regarding Sachin’s century. Many Indians were at a common consensus that his century has always been unlucky for India. They have often said, “I don’t know why, but whenever Sachin scored a century, India lost the match”, or “Either Sachin shines or India”.

Motera: Aussies pulverized
Mohali: Pakistan conquered
Mumbai: Islanders obliterated
MSD: Man who made it real from surreal