Season 16 finals

 Potentially my least popular piece.

Imperfection

Season was level at 13-13. The scoreline told that it was a seesaw season. Wolves gaining initial advantage and Canes eeking out a lead. Wolves staring down the barrel and coming up with the goods to turn the tables on Canes.

It was an imperfect game to top off an imperfect season by two imperfect teams. It wasn't a classic befitting a finale with scores level. 

But scorelines lie sometimes. It was a seesaw season, yes. But it wasn't fought tooth and nail. It wasn't a tale of teams coming together and rising to a challenge. Teams were barely teams. Games barely stitched together.

There were flashes of individual brilliance. Sushmit bailing Wolves out on a third heroic attempt. Sathya's lone wolf spells in losing causes. Arjun elevating power hitting to a new plane. Dhruv pulling a rabbit out of the hat on more than one occasion (Seriously, what more should the guy do to be acknowledged). Ayush's brilliance becoming so common that it is now taken for granted. And one man's brilliance which we won't officially acknowledge (FO Harsha)

But none of the highlights can hide the fact that this season put maidaan cricket on the ventilator. Regulars were scarcely seen. Captains from both sides amongst the more serious offenders. Foreign nationals abandoned a game they professed love for, not more than a season ago. 

Maidaan cricket hung on, barely, by the efforts of a few. And to those we are grateful. They might have helped us past the hump. But now it's upto all of us to reclaim the magic that is maidaan cricket and a brotherhood that is as rare as finding a soulmate.

Putting the gloom aside and ending on a high note, I am especially happy to see Ahaan shed his inhibitions and turn up to deliver 2 crucial spells - his batting has started to show consistency as well. And Eshaan's 2 overs were nothing short of magic. Hopefully the youngsters continue to see value on playing with us oldies and keep us on our toes.

I haven't looked forward to a new season like I do for the upcoming one. Let's recapture the magic of maidaan cricket.