IPL


(Picture: I remembered this picture clicked about 4 years ago while writing this post. Google's first cricket match. Raunak and I watch while Ranjit umpires)

Deccan Chargers won!! Last time around I spent 2-and-a-half thousand to watch them play live, and cursed for spending so much on a team that lost almost all matches. I was so upset that my first live match ever was turned out to be such a big flop. This time around, they are the champions! Last year when I said I watched them live, I was laughed at. Now when I say the same sentece, I am greeted with "Oh wow! Did you go to South Africa?"...and exactly at that point, I change the topic.

I wish I watched more matches this time. Whatever one or two matches I watched to give Ranjit company, my mind was distracted by the contest of predict the outcome of the six balls by sending an SMS (premium rates apply) and win prizes. That is betting!! and betting is illegal in India. Ranjit was interested in the match and not in discussing if this was indeed betting. Came to know today that it indeed is, and the sports ministry banned it. Glad that someone agrees with me. Wonder why the contest was merely banned, and the organizers not arrested.

By the time it was time for the final, I was sufficiently charged up (thanks to Cyrus, who works with me, I must say, who prodded me to give up my ice cream that I was having in a quiet joint and watch the match). By the time I was home, Bangalore started batting and exactly 5 mins later, the power was cut for the next one-and-a-half hours and I came to know that Hyderabad Chargers won when I saw spectacular fireworks in the sky suddenly. Raghav's (who also works with me) status messages were like running commentary. He finally confirmed that Chargers won and I can now finally jump and scream. So that was IPL for me. I plan to do a better job next time. This sounds like a fun series to watch.