Cricket isn’t a game; it’s a part of our life. We’ve grown up with it all around us and as we gear up to watch one match after the other, cancelling our plans and even our friendships (because cricket takes priority over everything, obviously), here are the ten moments we all go through while watching a cricket match.
You’ve got your favorite snacks ready, your favorite shirt to support your home team, you’ve got the best seat on the couch to yourself and you’ve made your trip to the bathroom. Be it a T20, a Test Match, or a One-Day; the next few hours are just you and the television.
Everything is going perfectly fine, until that first wicket falls... and then the gloves are off as you scream at the umpire to double-check because he’s clearly got it wrong and that was definitely not out!
Much like Ross, you’re wondering why Mohammad Hafeez decided to take that extra run when he could’ve just stood comfortably behind the crease.
He can be your best friend or your worst enemy but one thing is for certain; the 3rd Umpire’s decision is one of the most stressful seconds of your life. Sometimes it works in your favor and he saves your player but most of time you’re probably a second away from throwing a pair of glasses at the 3rd Umpire because that was certainly NOT LBW.
It doesn’t help when Sarfaraz is out there screaming his lungs out for an appeal.
There’s nothing like the feeling of seeing your team cruise on through towards victory. From increasingly loud yelling, to dancing in your seat, and even texting your friends about it; you know they’ve got it in the bag and had so all along. Duh.
This is the moment when the match is down to the wire. At this point you’ve busted out the prayer mat and are praying to God to make the next ball a six because 20 runs off 5 balls is definitely doable if you pray hard enough!
You see the match flashing before your eyes; the fielder is being lazy because he easily could’ve caught that and why didn’t that batsman run a little faster? Did he have halwa puri during the tea break? Whatever the reason; the match begins to go downhill fast while all you can do is watch.
Like Woody, all we can do is scream in agony as Kamran Akmal drops catch after catch.
The second it all starts going downhill you remember that you could be anywhere but here. So the anger at your team is directed towards your remote as you exit stage left to drown your sorrows in some ice cream and a game of Call of Duty.
Hmm, or maybe there’s a good football match on…
Oh? What’s this? Shahid Afridi rising up to the occasion and delivering shot after shot? Wahab Riaz finally breaking that awful partnership and sending the batting order toppling down? Whatever it is, you’re not going to question it because your team is back in the game!
That prayer mat worked!
It’s the last nail in the coffin and you’ve accepted the inevitable; the team’s lost this one and it’s all the players’ fault because they’ve definitely taken some money on the side. Honestly, even the umpires were in on it because it was an easy match and we lost it!
Be it smooth sailing or a nail biter of a match one thing’s for sure; victory is always sweet! Plus your team is the best and they won because of you yelling at them obviously.
On the other hand, when your team loses, you’re about two seconds away from disowning the boys and setting fire to your jersey.
Or just breaking the television… That works too.