Good Boyz Finish First!

Good Boyz finish first! Well, well my cynical friends, go right ahead, don’t suppress your laughter! I knew the derision that will be directed at me and the ridicule expressed even as I wrote the first words. And I don’t blame you. Why , just why should one believe in such an old fashioned principle which is so far removed from the reality that confronts us every day? Corruption, rapes, murders, robbery, scams, adulteration, the list is endless. This is not unique to our society and our country. Indira Gandhi once famously remarked that “corruption is a global phenomenon” when allegation after allegation of malpractices hit her government. The time one feels has stood still, only the lead characters have traded place. It wouldn’t be beyond you if you took the statement with a table spoon full of salt! The other important aspect of note is while the issues are universal, in India our justice delivery mechanism is so slow or flawed and at times influenced by the mighty, moneyed and powerful that one feels so whenever such high sounding wisdom is spouted. I don’t blame you. But as I said, Good Boyz finish first.

Good news doesn’t sell. Good news is like a film division documentary. Good news is found in the propaganda advertisements of various Govts. Haven’t we heard all this and more? But then old fashion though it may sound and seem in this kaliyuga, good triumphs, always does. The problem is we have programmed our minds to look at the negativity. A black (evil) spot on a blank milk white paper (Good) stands out doesn’t it? Doesn’t mean that the entire paper is evil. In fact it is just the opposite! The exception. There is good everywhere too if we dared or cared to look. Still not convinced?

Let me point you out the instance of Good Boyz finish first. It has been right in front of your eyes. For our passionate countrymen it has been top of our mind too. Yes! I mean the IPL! You either loved it or hated it but you couldn’t just ignore it. From TV screens to newspaper headlines. From chatrooms to water cooler meetings. IPL has for the past seventy odd days dominated every conversation. And now that the winner has been declared, you have still not noticed it enough to celebrate the winners. No! You read it right! I am not referring to the past editions. I speak about IPL 6. Confused? Well you just proved my words right. The good boyz have come first again, only you have not noticed it!

 I of course refer to the ‘Fairplay Award’ won yet again by the Chennai Super Kings, their fourth such achievement in six editions of this high decibel, exciting and as expected often controversial tournament. Led by the astute Captain Thala M S Dhoni, dubbed “captain Cool”, the team has displayed excellent cricketing skills and have done this while maintaining the spirit of the game and the decorum a tournament with such huge following spread across all sections and spectrum of the multitude that has been dancing to ‘dil jumping jhapaang’ for the past two month demands. Consistency has marked this bunch of players from varied background but moulded into a selection of 'play hard but play fair' cricketers, season after season.

And the defending champions? Another team lead by another Player who epitomizes the word ‘gentleman’ in the description of the sport we love, the ‘gentleman’s Game’! Rahul Sharad Dravid, possibly the most universally loved cricketer of this generation, across every continent where the game is played and followed and more so in India. I am convinced the respect bordering on love for him transcends beyond his cricketing skills, as there have been many in the past who have matched and many are likely in the future to match his cricketing achievements. But a combination of impeccable behavior, his ability to inculcate the same into his bunch of talented cricketers and the understated authority has rubbed on to the Rajasthan Royals, winners last year and a close third this year. The goodwill that the Royals and their Captain command is so overwhelming that the supposed scandalous behavior of some of the players in this team doesn’t as much as scratch the surface of the squeaky clean reputation of The Wall and his bunch of hard working cricketers. And does it surprise anyone that the two champions are also in with a chance to triumph in the other competition this year, winning the tournament itself?

Irrespective of how things go from here in the playoffs, for me the Good Boyz have already won. I hope the two teams clash in the finals of IPL 6 too. May the better among the Good Boyz win!
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I hope my friend Redwan Kabir @Redwaannn, from Amaar Shonar Bangla is happy!