My World Cup Debut! ! Poem by Shankaran Kutty

I was at the age of seventeen
As the future of cricket, I was seen
In the team for the World Cup I was picked
A trip to England, thus I hitched

I was an all-rounder, or so I claimed
With my fast bowling, two batsmen I had maimed
My batting they said was a lot like Sachin
Truth be told, many matches I did win

The matches were easy in the initial round
I was not needed, so the selectors found
The quarters and semis were really close
We only won with our captain’s blows

So it was the day of the big final
Experts thought our team was quite banal
At the Lords Cricket ground, I stood stunned
Up against were the host country England

Hopes pinned on two star players we had
Our captain was a jolly good lad
And we also had an all-round star
The best player in the tournament so far

But disaster struck, that day morn
And we thought any slim chance we had were blown
With an upset stomach the all-rounder fell sick
And thus I became the surprise pick

I called up home with tonnes of thrill
'We will watch you son, play well you will”
So blessed my dad and with all my prayers
I went out for warm up with all the players

The pitch looked like a meadow, green
It was the fastest pitch I ever had seen
They knew our strength was in spin
Against lightning pace, our chances were thin

They won the toss and asked us to bat
And soon, we were down on the mat
In fifteen overs of blistering pace
Five of our batsmen they did ace

The scoreboard showed we had forty four
I wished when I walked in we had hundred more
For my blood on the pitch, the crowd then bayed
I wished this match, I never had played

Seeing the bowler all my hopes sank
For a minute, my mind went blank
No bowler bowled at a faster pace
Than the one I was now destined to face

Nervously, I took my guard
The bowler came and stared from a yard
Slip fielders four stood in an arc
As the bowler went back to his mark

Although I knew my team was in a fix
The very first ball I hit for a six
The captain was at the other end
After the over, to him I went

“Just play your natural game today, son
Don’t worry if the match will be lost or won”
nd once I heard that stirring advice
All my nervousness disappeared in a trice

The next ball was a copybook cover drive
Then a close single for which I had to dive
And when he bounced one at my throat
The ball landed in the stadium moat

With pulls and hooks I went on the attack
The captain gave a pat on my back
Over after Over I did not relent
The crowd by then had gone silent

When with a six I reached my ton
The captained hugged me as if the match was won
And when the last ball was bowled of the fiftieth over
Our score had reached two hundred and eighty four

The dressing room erupted in unbound joy
A man I had become from a wisp of a boy
But the match by then was hardly won
Only half the job had we by then done

We trooped out as one then to field
With a promise, to pressure we won’t yield
Swing bowlers we had, fine lads two
Experience they had, in ample measure too

But swing that day, they did not find
And their pace, the openers did not mind
To the boundary ropes the ball went screaming
The fielding misses left the captain fuming

Soon he introduced from both ends spin
In that stood our only chance to win
But now the ball disappeared over the ropes
And with that went down all our hopes

The captain then threw me the ball
Commentators thought it was a hasty call
But my very first ball beat the intended flick
And cart wheeling went the middle stick

Over the wicket and then around
Pace and swing I happily found
Wickets fell in a heap
A tryst with the Cup we had to keep

When I went out they hit back soon
The lack of pace was then a boon
We knew we were slipping fast
And soon we were at the over last

Fourteen runs they needed more
Four wickets to help them score
The captain slowly walked to me
Son, this is the moment of your destiny”

My hands fell chill like dipped in ice
While flowing sweat clouded by eyes
I knew I had to get their tail
No second chance, if I fail

The first three balls then hit the sticks
But the next two ones went out for six
The chances of an Indian win
Suddenly looked, ever so thin

Two to win and one to tie
On that hallowed ground I thought I will cry
The batsman who came out to bat then last
Was the very same one who bowled so fast

As back to my mark I slowly strode
My heart I felt was about to explode
I knew I was in a total daze
As I steamed in to bowl at furious pace

The batsman gave a mighty whack
The ball went high over my back.
Turned and after the ball I hared
A billion eyes on my sprint were glared

I knew it was a difficult chance
As the ball I felt fall into my hands
When the cup I thought had won for my side
The mid on fielder ran in to collide

With a scream I took the painful blow
For on the floor there was no pillow
My eyes I opened, then to see
My mother and sister in front of me

“What happened bro”, my sister teased
On my misfortune, she looked very pleased
“What happened son, a scary dream
You have had, it does seem

Before you sleep I have asked you to pray
But you only do things your own way “
They gave me a helping hand to get up
I couldn’t say I almost won India the cup

As I nursed the blow on my chin
I sported a rather foolish grin
If only I had slept till I took the catch
I could have won the man of the match