The mega event of limited-overs cricket — the ICC World Cup — is now on us. This, the eleventh edition of the cup since 1975 when it first took place in England is now a multi-million dollar extravaganza compared to the ones which had been competed in previous years.

Naturally, those who follow the fortunes of their respective teams, the cricket boards, the fans and the followers, the advertisers and sponsors and all the businesses involved would have their own contributions to make including the bookies of all kinds — whether legal or illegal — who will be glued to their sets and seats to see the drama unfold when co-hosts New Zealand play the inaugural fixture of the tournament against Sri Lanka at Christchurch on Saturday.

Having covered the first eight World Cups from 1975 to 2003 as a journalist and a commentator, I certainly have the first-hand experience of the electrifying atmosphere at the venues, the euphoria that grips the cricketing world during the entire mega event. I know exactly what it means to people who follow it. The rise and fall of a team, the triumph and tribulations of a win or a defeat matters so much to the fans, as if their lives depend on it.

A century by the West Indian captain Clive Lloyd in the final of the first World Cup and three spectacular run outs of Australian batsmen by a young Viv Richards, a hundred in another cup final in 1979 by Richards himself and that match-winning century by Aravinda de Silva in Sri Lanka’s superb victory in the final of 1996 at Lahore comes flashing back to my mind. Not forgetting, of course, Pakistan’s greatest moment when Imran Khan raised the Waterford Crystal at the MCG in 1992 and more than 87,000 people present stood up to applaud what Pakistan achieved on that memorable night.

Now 23 years on, both Australia and New Zealand are the hosts and I can tell you from my own experience that none of the competitions was as meticulously organised as was 1992 edition Down Under. South Africa in 2003, no doubt, was an exception.

This time round I feel that both Australia and New Zealand will have similar showpiece to present to the world.

I do not cover ODIs now and that includes the World Cup. Having covered 732 one-day matches and the first eight World Cups as a reporter and being a television commentator of New Zealand TV along with Geoff Boycott, Sunil Gavaskar, Glen Turner, Henry Blofeld and Grant Nisbett in the 1992 tournament, I think I have had enough of my share of the ‘instant cricket’.

Many people ask me these days as to why I have given it up when it comes to limited-overs cricket. If only they understood what it entails when you are on the move from one city to another and from one hotel to the next and from one flight to another for nearly four decades.

That is exactly how I lived over the years as a cricket reporter. One-day cricket, the adopted child of Test cricket which obviously is the mother all formats of the game, still fascinates me but to the extent of enjoying the some time rare and exciting moments of it. Not all limited-over games are exciting though.

This tournament would last 45 days and that I suppose is too long and too tedious for anyone who would be a part of it, be it the players, the journalists or the organisers. Travelling for the players, the supporters and of course the journalists and the TV crew is going to be one hell of an effort. From one venue to another are long flights because Australia is a big continent and flights some time take three to four hours from one city to another. Then flying from there to New Zealand is another big effort.

I was lucky in 1992 that I covered one match at Adelaide, Pakistan v England which Pakistan survived because of rain to gain one valuable point which put them on the path to the final. My other match was Pakistan v India at Sydney which Pakistan lost and the one at Brisbane where South Africa triumphed over Pakistan.

I flew over then for a three and a half hour flight to Christchurch in New Zealand where I was signed by TVNZ as one of their commentators. Ramiz Raja’s century against New Zealand at Lancaster Park in Pakistan’s win and our exciting semi-final victory against the Kiwis are obviously unforgettable moments for me as was the final at the MCG where Pakistan bathed in glory to lift the Cup and did the nation proud.

So please hold your breath, don’t get too emotional or sentimental about it, keeping in mind that Pakistan is not among the favourites this time.

Published in Dawn February 13th , 2015

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