Autumn is one of my favourite seasons. The tortuous summer heat gives way to milder days and pleasant evenings. It brings forth the most vibrant fall colours that make me a tad poetic.
This year, however, autumn has brought out my sporting spirit. Now, the autumn looks 'blue' and not orange and it fills my heart with joy.
The autumn evenings in Sydney are vibrant and enigmatic with street buskers and night markets popping up in every corner of the city. The night markets that showcase local produce and delectable delicacies are usually brimming with locals and now share their charms with visitors alike. There is a festive vibe in the atmosphere. This year the festivity has gone a notch higher with the World Cup fever in the air.
The enthusiasm has flown into my workplace as well. Everyone seems to be discussing cricket. Last week, I had an interesting experience here. There are people from all over the world at my office. It was a pleasant surprise to see that a large audience had gathered in the break-out area to watch the India versus Bangladesh match.
The disappointment must have shown on my face at some point during the Indian innings as a few Aussie blokes walked up to me, patted my back and consoled me by saying: "Don't worry, you still have Rohit batting. He will make it alright". And how he did it! I wrapped up my work after the Indian innings and headed to a local club with my friends to grab a drink and enjoy the match.
With the big match scheduled for tomorrow, everyone's keeping their fingers crossed. The mass euphoria after India's victory over Bangladesh has been replaced with a nervous energy now. The Australians have resorted to the usual banter and show of overconfidence to intimidate their opponent both on the field and off it, while the Indian fans just put up a reserved smile that comes naturally to them.
The cricket pundits tell me that Australia has a better chance in tomorrow's match. Australians are supposed to have the home ground advantage, but media reports say that Indian supporters will outnumber Australians by 2 to 1 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Local sports clubs have arranged for special big screen viewing and dinner packages for those who could not get tickets for the semi-finals, but still want to make it a memorable evening with their family and friends.
The level of support for India is so unprecedented that Michael Clarke had to take to Twitter to call on Australian fans to paint the stands in green and gold. But I am sure that the blue wave is going to sweep the ground. The cricket brains might calculate odds in favour of Australia, but the hearts beat for India. The summer of cricket might have been Australia's, but hope the autumn will be Indian.
THE WRITER IS AN IT PROFESSIONAL BASED IN SYDNEY
