1 Day to Go…

Vijay-Bhai (in white cap) discussing cricket 

The much-hyped, long-awaited Gangtok-Darjeeling trip is finally taking off tomorrow. Ideally those on this six-day excursion should have been given a formal send-off from the Garden today morning. But cricket hijacked the occasion.
Many were yet to recover from Team India’s crushing defeat in the ICC World Cup semi-final against Australia yesterday. For them, the entire nation ought to be in mourning. For others like Srichand Arora and Siba Prasad Maitra, the result was a foregone conclusion the moment Australia won the toss and elected to bat. According to them, India’s fate was conclusively sealed when the Aussies posted 300-plus runs, a score Dhoni’s grandfathers cannot even defend in their dreams.
And then there was Vijay Bhai, our in-Garden cricket expert who still cannot believe that India had actually lost the match and is out of the World Cup. He had many questions in his mind: Did India play to a plan and if so, what was it?

Mallika Kagzi hosts a tea party for the Gangtok Gang

What was the need for a well-settled Shikhar Dhawan to go for that big hit and surrender his wicket? How could Virat Kohli get out so cheaply? Why were yorkers introduced so late in the game by India… In spite of the presence of knowledgeable cricket lovers like Jagmohan Papneja and Kiran Prakash, Vijay Bhai could not get the answers to his 'existential' questions.
Fortunately, Mallika Kagzi salvaged the situation by proposing a tea party “in the honour” of those proceeding on the tour tomorrow. “Chai pila-pila ke, pila-pila ke, maaroongi,” she declared. “I will kill them by plying them with tea. Why aren’t they taking me with them?” Yusuf Rassiwala did not miss the mock grievance and was at a loss of words praising the “noble lady”. Arora too was dumbstruck by the altruistic gesture.
At least someone had the good sense to do what should have been done collectively by the Club.
Bihari Milwani:
Happy Journey to all colleagues. Please bring back cheerful memories of experiences and pictures to fill a big book equal to the Mahabharata. And let us hope India wins the ICC World Cup-2019.