BLEED BLUE!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think anyone except the most die-hard cricket haters would have been watching anything on TV apart from the match last night! And what a match it was!

Virat Kohli said it best - "He (Sachin) has carried the Indian team on his shoulders for the last 21 years. It was time we carried him."

They did ... and how!!! When Sehwag got out on the second ball of the innings, there was shock, disappointment, but no despair. After all, Sachin, the God of cricket, and definitely the God of Indian cricket was still there, and he seemed in fine form. But when Sachin's wicket fell, and he walked slowly back, all I could do was fervently wish and pray for a real-live replay ... another chance for him, because I thought that with Sachin gone, and 31 for 2, India didn't have a chance. Not with that mammoth total of 275.

But the Men in Blue proved me wrong ... and how! Starting with Gautam Gambhir, playing slowly, patiently ... Virat Kohli supporting him, then of course, Dhoni playing that captain's knock with Yuvraj's support ... the stuff dreams are made of, and unlike many which have earlier turned into nightmares, this one didn't - it turned into reality! And the best part was that Sachin and Sehwag didn't have much to do, it was the younger players who stepped up - as though to tell Sachin, you've done it for a long time, mate, we'll share your burden now, we'll carry on the legacy you've given us. And we'll do you proud.

I didn't watch most of the Indian innings - every time I went into the TV room, a wicket seemed to fall, so superstitiously I stayed out. I wonder how many people in India followed some silly supersition like me last night - sitting in a favourite chair, not going to the loo, wearing a lucky Tshirt ... but finally, when I went in and Dhoni was almost run out, I told my husband I'll watch if he isn't run out. If he is, that means my jinx is working. But Dhoni survived ... and I could watch the rest of the match, first in tension, and then as the run rate slowly eased, gradually with more and more excitement. And what fun it was ... a pure adrenaline rush. When Malinga came on to bowl the first of his last three overs, and the first four balls were dot balls, I nearly fled again! Then 3 runs came off 2 balls, the run rate's climb was arrested, and I sat down again. Next over was good for India, boundaries came and the RRR fell even more. Then Malinga came on again, and Dhoni clouted him for two consecutive fours. Of course, with that, India were well and truly home, bar the shouting, and even a pessimist like me could watch the last two balls completely free of tension ... and enjoy that last SIX!!!!

Victory is indeed sweet ... WELL DONE, MEN IN BLUE!!!! The dream of over a billion Indians, the prayers of over a billions Indians ... all for this moment! And truly, nothing unites India and inspires patriotism as much as this game of cricket ... when Vande Mataram, Jao Ho and other songs were playing during the breaks, it wasn't funny, it was inspiring!

Most touching moments - seeing the players in tears after the victory. Showed how much it meant to them, how hard they had worked for it. The group hugs, the hoisting on shoulders, the ecstacy on their faces ... it was really a wonderful team effort, and those moments showed how close-knit the team had become.

BLEED BLUE!!! VANDE MATARAM!!! JAI HO!!!