World Cup Archives - Page 2 of 6

Kane Williamson: The Monk Who Lost the Cup But Won Over the World

The most natural reaction to losing the World Cup on a technicality would have been of excessive outrage. And no one could have held it against New Zealand captain Kane Williamson were he to be taken over by anguish. It stung deep, but not even an imminent heartbreak was enough for Williamson to get carried away.

Parth Pandya June 29, 2016

Sports

How Belgium’s Eden Proved to be a Real Hazard This World Cup

The showiness of Eden Hazard is limited to trickery on grass. The World Cup has vaulted the Belgium skipper to his best – racing past defenders without a hint of stumble, dribbling past them as if it was the easiest option. Even so, Hazard’s genius remains under-appreciated.

Priyansh June 27, 2016

Sports

How I Turned My Gujarati Husband Madly Bengali About Football

My Gujarati husband knew as little about football as I knew about a “pure veg” meal. I taught him the basics, and to my surprise, my husband went much beyond the brief. Now as I cheer for Germany, he prays for Portugal, and our son is called Ochoa after the Mexican goalkeeper.

Runa Mukherjee June 27, 2016

Sports

Why Our Fathers and Mothers Cheer for Brazil at the World Cup

For second-generation Indians, football has existed like a good book, only in translation, with Brazil writing the most musical of sentences and poetic of thought all along. For them, Brazil’s preposterously stylised brand of football is the only version of the game worth watching.

Manik Sharma June 23, 2016

Sports

Steve Smith is No Monster – In the New, Conscience-Free Version of Cricket

We need a new breed of cricketer for the new, callous version of the gentleman’s game. Ball tampering is only the start. Steve Smiths of the future will resort to all-out sabotage, even leaving chilly powder in their opponents’ crotch guards before the game.

Dushyant Shekhawat June 21, 2016

Sports

Football, the Religion Where Moses and Jesus Are on Opposing Teams

Moses plays for Nigeria, Jesus for Brazil, and for the coming month, Russia will be the Bethlehem of the world. Football’s the religion to follow, where prayer chants are easy, you can pick your own Gods, there are no compulsory rituals, and most of all, you don’t get lynched for nothing.

Arré Bench June 20, 2016

Sports

From Fan to Fanatic: How to Spot a Die-Hard Cricket Nut

In India, everyone is a cricket fan. But it takes something special to be a cricket fanatic. A die-hard fan does not eat an apple but practises bowling with it. He grows up to be the only uncle in the building who does not get mad when a ball hits his window.

Hardik Rajgor June 18, 2016

Sports

This World Cup Taught Us to Appreciate the Slower Ball More

The slower ball, once a gimmicky duplicate of spin, has now emerged as a newly conceived weapon of choice. Delightfully unnatural and unpredictable, the slow ball has bamboozled more batsmen in this World Cup than perhaps all the others combined.

Manik Sharma June 16, 2016

Sports

Japan Vs Belgium: The Best Football is Played in Under 90 Minutes

It’s impossible to feel uninterrupted joy for Belgium without feeling devastated for Japan. That’s the power of good football — no number of penalty shootouts can even get close to that feeling.

Arré Bench June 16, 2016

Sports

Can India Really Win the World Cup with a Shaky Middle Order?

Should the pattern of India’s top three batsmen firing in every single game break, does India have adequate alternate sources to find runs from? Should the team be worried about its middle order, ahead of the semi-final?

Parth Pandya June 14, 2016