India’s cricket World Cup triumph brought joy and buoyed spirits among millions of people in a country plagued with corruption scandals and financial irregularities over the past months.
And the party continues from Vancouver to Toronto to Delhi as South Asians celebrate their cricket champs who came to the rescue in defusing regional tensions and international scandals.
‘There is no limit to our happiness, I feel very proud as an Indian,’ said lawyer Keshav Punj.
India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final last weekend. The cup came to India after 28 years.
“We have a crazy scene out here now as Indian supporters are going wild with celebrations. A hush fell over the beer-guzzling Sri Lankan supporters when Dhoni hit the winning run. But now they are congratulating Indian supporters over their team’s victory,” Kesav Sharma, manager of House of Dosas in Vancouver, told IANS, after the match.
He said Indian supporters streamed out on to the road holding the Indian flag aloft.
“They are dancing to the beat of drums, and the party will go on. We are offering everyone a free beer,” said the manager of the favourite Indian food joint on Kingsway in Vancouver.
In Toronto, the famous Pearl Banquet Hall was bursting at the seams as hundreds of Indians, Sri Lankans and Pakistanis jam-packed into its premises to catch the final match.
“The crowd erupted with joy when the winning run was hit. We had people streaming in from late night to start watching the proceedings from 4:30 a.m.,” said Pearl Banquet Hall owner-manager Pavittar Singh.
Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar described India’s World Cup triumph as the best moment of his career and said the title has brought smiles on the faces of millions of fans in the country and abroad.
“As an Indian we have all won this cup. It’s not just us 15 (in the squad) but the entire nation. The cup belongs to the entire nation so I am sure they are feeling part of it…The win has brought smiles to the fans not only in India but also abroad.”
The 37-year-old, who has been a part of six World Cups, said he never gave up hope of winning the title despite five failed attempts.
A tumultous season of scams and poor governance had shamed politicians and driven Indians to despair, but the gloom dissipated soon after team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored the winning runs against Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium last Saturday night.
Cricket is almost a religion in the country with a population of 1.2 billion people, and all of India exulted as the home-team lifted the trophy for the second time after a generational wait of 28 years.
Common people, celebrating the carnival atmosphere on city streets overnight, felt the victory had contributed to raising the Indian self-esteem.
‘It was a day when the common man felt he was part of something special. A day when the common man thought he had achieved something remarkable. A day when cherished dreams were realized,’ the NDTV network commented on the frenzied celebrations.
‘The first Saturday of April 2011 will remain unforgettable for a generation of Indians,’ it said.
Over the past months, Premier Manmohan Singh’s government has been hit by one scandal after another which have damaged its credibility at home and abroad.
The country was subjected to international criticism over shoddy infrastructure for the Delhi Commonwealth Games amid allegations that Indian organizers had swindled millions of dollars from the October event.
The latest controversy came after a Wikileaks cable revealed that the ruling Congress party bribed lawmakers to survive a crucial 2008 confidence vote, allegations that were rejected by Singh.
Ironically, investigators were filing charges in a telecoms graft case - India’s biggest-ever corruption case estimated at 39 billion dollars - around the time team India was setting the foundations for victory at the Mumbai stadium.
Revellers said the inspirational victory may help generate a positive national sentiment to cope with the challenges.
‘Cricket unites as much as it inspires. The win could inspire people to deal with corruption and other ills which are corroding the fabric of our nation,’ said Imran Ahmed, a media-professional in Mumbai.
‘Cricket has given us a reason to be happy in a country besieged with problems,’ he added.
Indian leaders, meanwhile, heaved a sigh of relief as cricket had provided a breather from the opposition heat. Embattled Singh praised the team, saying they had done India proud.
Cricket also came to the rescue in defusing regional tensions as well when Singh invited his Pakistan counterpart, Yousuf Reza Gilani, to watch the semi-final between the traditional rivals last week, in what was dubbed a cricket diplomacy initiative.
The two leaders held talks around the game that contributed to improving ties that were strained after the 2008 Mumbai attacks by Pakistani militants.
Gilani also congratulated Singh on India’s title and said he hoped that sporting links between the neighbours would soon be restored.
Indian media were awash with images of the emotional scenes from the victory at the Wankhede Stadium.
‘The World at our Feet,’ said the banner headline in The Times of India. The Indian Express had ‘Windia’ over a picture of Indian players holding the cup.
India was hailed as a ‘cricket superpower’ as the victory lifted it past Australia to the number one ranking in the one-day international format. It is already a top test playing nation, according to the International Cricket Council rankings.
India and its Diaspora will be in party-mode for the next little as fans relish the victory.
‘It (The cricket victory) is just like we won our independence,’ India’s top film-star Amitabh Bachchan wrote on Twitter. ‘Incredible, Incredible,’ said the actor, who lives in Mumbai, also home to Bollywood.