Bright
lights adorned the court, bathing the ‘pitch’ in a brilliant illumination.
Crowds gathered in increasing numbers while players and spectators alike milled
around expectantly, conversing, practicing. Sweat-drenched volunteers sprinted
hither and thither putting the final touches on the preparations for one of the
most exciting and most anticipated events of the summer.
And so, with Shayan of Alums thundering down the pitch to bowl the first ball, the Nixor Hospital Premier League kicked off. From the get-go one could observe the passion and heart on display as the next bowler Faraz clean-bowled the batsman on the first ball of his over. The Eagle Sharks could only muster a target of 17 runs, which the Alums achieved comfortably although with a bit of an anti-climax: a wide ball gave them the last run.
The number of spectators may have been a tad bit of a let-down but those present did not give the impression that it was the middle of the night. Chatting animatedly and holding earnest discussions of the events that were unfolding as well as cheering jubilantly at the success of any team, the crowd was life and soul of the event. Their wide-eyed observations of the games, as well as the sounds of exuberant laughter depicted fully the enthusiasm that seemed to envelope the very air. The air that was rich with the aroma of rolls, pizzas and bun kababs which the audience regularly flocked to as time passed and hunger set in. They were undoubtedly buoyed up in this regard by the constant marketing of the food stalls by the pair of witty commentators, Zaid and Usman, who insisted that some of the players would have been playing better had they ate a few rolls and had a can of the ‘Epic Energy’ energy drink which was a sponsor for the event.
Our commentators did not let a dull moment pass, with comments such as ‘Ye Saud buhath achi bowling kar rahay hain, inhon nay aaj iftari mein kya kaya tha?” After a bowler from Team X bowled several wides to Sir Nadeem, batting for The Great Whites, it was in their highly distinguished opinion that the ball itself was in fact shying away from the Dean in fear of being smashed sky-high. Yet it was Danish bhai who went smashing about in that match. The captain of Team X had remarked on his team’s previous loss, “You win some, you lose some. We have three more matches and shall prove ourselves in the next one.” However, it was not to be as a target of 43 and some fierce bowling from Shabbir bhai put paid to Team X.
Feeling
greatly exhilarated after his victory, Sir Nadeem stated, “I can see there is a
lot of talent on display and I love the energy being shown. Cricket is the one thing in this country that
unifies its 200 million people and so it is always good to see it being played,
especially since I’m a big cricket fan myself. The organisation is good and I
like the cafeteria set-up, very up-beat feel to it. I love the fact that it is
at night, and that we’re all here having fun, raising money for a good cause,
helping someone out, considering the turnout is good and about 60,000 RS will
be raised plus concessions. After all
that is what Nixor is all about.”
The tournament was never short of entertainment. From one of the Juggernauts batsman flinging his bat halfway across the pitch and then sliding across the opposite crease as if someone had greased his trousers, to Shahzaib of the same team bowling with such ferocity that his glasses refused to remain perched atop his nose. Of course, no tournament is free from controversy, and this very same match, where the Juggernauts were playing the Master Batters, saw a fair share of it. Was that last shot by the Master Batters a six or not? As a six would win them the match, they insisted it was, considering that the ball had sailed high into the air and landed in a corner of the sky box. But the umpires begged to differ at first, giving them 1 run, but after a good 5 minutes of old-fashioned ’behas’ the umpires ruled it a draw.
The commentators’ advertising was not limited to the food alone but extended to the arcade where a pair of XBOX 360’s had been set up with FIFA. The arcade saw a pair or two of gamers always present, aiming to prove themselves champions at FIFA while others watching with earnest intent. You have not known what concentration and ardent focus is unless you have observed FIFA being played by two gamers who easily convey the impression that their very lives hang in the balance.
Possibly,
the most efficient running of the tournament was exhibited by the Game Changers
in their match against the Alums. The excitement reaching fever-pitch as the
Game Changers needed 1 run of 1 ball to secure the victory with the crowd
wholeheartedly cheering both teams on. With a mad dash from both batsmen, that
one run was successfully scored.
The clocks were striking three by the time the first semi-final got underway. A nail-biting finish for the Great Whites, winning by 2 runs to face Alums in the final. The final where, although the Alums were only given a target of 13, an intense display of brazen bowling from Shabbir bhai and Tariq bhai, and a last-ball run out gave the Great Whites the win and the tournament.
The captain
of Alums, Faraz, looked far too dazed to give any real comment while Sir Nadeem
simply remarked, “Who’s your daddy? The admin.”
A scrumptious celebratory sehri
of halwa puri followed, as the
players and spectators alike gathered for a much-needed and well-deserved meal,
conversing good-naturedly and laughing cheerfully in the last vestiges of a
night that would be long-remembered.
For in the end, no one won, and no one lost. When such enthusiasm and passion is shown for a fundraiser, revolving around a sport so dear to every Pakistani’s heart, then victory can safely be attributed to all those who, played, worked and watched. As goodbyes were said and people walked out, it can be said that this roaring success of an event is not likely to ever be forgotten.
Article by Syed Imaad Hasan Jafri
