CRICKET
Cricket as a bat ball game for kids
Started in SE England counties
Economy had risen in 16th century
People finding time to play a mystery.
Cricket is played between wickets
Earliest ball game by shepherds
Over a period, it took many forms
And spread across the regions.
Hockey is hitting ball towards goal
Golf is hitting ball towards a hole
Base ball is hitting out to run to base
Ball games took many a face.
Whole of England cricket spread
So popular that betting was permitted
Rich gentry provided full support
It then became a national sport
Wherever British set up colonies
They took with them their sports
Cricket became popular as a game
In tropical countries, it earned fame.
Not only England, now we have many
That have popularised game largely
Australia India West Indies Pakistan
Others besides Sri Lanka Afghanistan.
Initially, they played till all got out
Runs scored declared winner no doubt
The game lasted 5 days with 2 innings
Live matches began TV streaming.
People enjoyed watching from home
Crowd started thinning on their own
Now we have matches curtailed
20 and 50 overs matches prevailed.
Cricket is a funny game to play
If one makes a hundred runs in a day
He can get out for a duck
When he plays next as per his luck.
Each time the ball comes differently
As per his gauge he swings swiftly
The hit the direction and the speed
Will tell how many runs to concede.
It's definitely a unique skill to judge
Which ball when hit will budge
Towards boundary for a four or six
With the fielders in a fix.
Same is the case with a bowler
He may have got three wickets in an over
But next time he may give many runs
To the opponent for fours and sixes.
There are fast bowlers who dare
There are spin and swing bowlers to spare
Batsmen have to face all of them
With courage and pluralism.
Fielding is also a skill that counts
One should stop ball going to fours
Or manage to catch the ball
That comes in air before it's fall.
All teams agree to play matches
And abide by the decision of umpires
And also follow the spirit of the game
In strict sense of sporting frame.
Overall, the game depends on factors
That includes besides skill of players
The condition of pitch the field
The weather and ball to be bowled.
In the 2023 world cup contests
India played well to win nine matches
Unfortunately destiny played it's part inter alia
In the finale India conceded defeat to Australia.
Latest are the T20 World Cup matches
This time West Indies and USA hosted all the fixes
India played against SA in the finale at Barbados
They are truly the two unbeaten teams.
Virat Kohli proved his mettle after a lull
His mate poor Axar Patel got run out for sure
It appeared South Africa would win initially
But Jasprit Bumrah excelled in bowling beneficially.
Virat and Axar formed a good partnership
Axar got out and Shivam Dubey maintained the grip
Bumrah was too good for South Africa team
Final catch by Yadav off Hardik’s over ended the dream.
South Africa was hoping for their first world cup win
India won the World Cup with an enthralling finis
Virat and Rohit are retiring from T20I matches
Rightly they are making way for younger generations.
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