Ecstatic Moment

I had the most ecstatic experience of my life the day before yesterday. 09-November-2022.

Australia is currently hosting the T20 World Cup. The trophy is being contested by the world's top 12 cricket teams. This tournament was supposed to take place in Australia in 2020, but it was cancelled due to COVID. When the tournament was supposed to take place in 2020, I purchased tickets for one of the Pakistani matches, but they were refunded.

In the first match of the 2022 T20 World Cup, Pakistan was narrowly defeated by India. Zimbabwe defeated them in the second match. They defeated the Netherlands in their third match. The fourth match was supposed to be held in Sydney. I decided to buy tickets 10 days before the game. It was a bit pricey, but I thought about having this experience. I couldn’t find all the tickets in the same row. So, I purchased tickets in two rows, front and back.

The game took place on Thursday. We used public transportation to get to the stadium. I wasn't expecting such a large crowd. There were a lot of Pakistanis at the light rail station. Anyway, we arrived at the stadium. The game went much better than expected. My children knew nothing about cricket. But they had a good time. The DJ played various Pakistani songs during the game. This heightened the excitement. At one point, rain began to fall, causing the match to be delayed for more than 30 minutes. They played the "Dil Dil Pakistan" song during this time. There was a line in the song that said, "Ghar apna to sab ko jee jaan se pyara lagta hai." This line struck me and brought tears to my eyes. To sum up, Pakistan won the match, and it was a fantastic experience. Wait, this isn't the moment I was referring to.

Pakistan had to play another match after this one, and the other teams had to play theirs as well. Because of Allah's will, luck was on Pakistan's side, and the team advanced to the semi-finals. And guess where the semi-finals were supposed to be held: Sydney. Because I arrived late to the party, tickets were scarce. They were prohibitively expensive. It would have cost us all nearly $1075. My wife said I could go by myself, but I preferred to go with my family. Anyway, I persevered and found 5 tickets. There were two tickets in section 25 row G and three in section 26 row D. It cost me around $500. There was a WhatsApp group for this match. People were selling and buying tickets there. Fortunately, I discovered two tickets in section 26, row D, next to the seats I purchased. It looks like Allah has plans for us.

The game was set to begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. I drove all the way to the stadium. I didn't take public transportation this time because it wasn't a convenient option for the family, especially since my youngest had day care the next day and the kids had school, and I didn't want them to get tired of catching and waiting for trains. The drive to the stadium was lengthy and congested. I was concerned about finding parking or having my tickets rejected because the other guy had sold them to someone else. However, I was able to find a parking space at Sydney Boys High School and enter the stadium with my family.

I was a little disappointed when I found my seats. The front row was next to the fence. I was afraid that people would come up and stand in front of me, ruining my experience. But nothing of the sort occurred. The game began, and Pakistan exceeded expectations this time. The cameraman approached the fence several times, and I appeared on screen a few times. A few relatives and friends called or texted to say they saw me on TV. My children were equally ecstatic. The mood and ambience of the stadium and game were so electric that I don't think I've ever experienced anything like it in my life. At the halfway point of the match, Pakistan appeared to be on track to win. “Dil Dil Pakistan” was played again at the end, and everyone in the stadium sang along. This entire experience was the most treasured and joyful memory of my life. I'm glad I got to share it with my kids and wife. They were all there to witness it. It made me so happy that for the first time in my life, I felt alive. I don't think I've ever felt this way before.

I'm still getting goosebumps and having tears in my eyes two days after the game because of this experience. The money was well spent, and I believe such opportunities are rare in life. I'm not sure when I'll have another such experience. But for now, “Dil Dil Pakistan”. Dammit. I had no idea I was a patriot. I used to believe that countries were unimportant to me. Kings and rulers draw borders to define their empires. But for the time being, Pakistan is my heart and my life.

Dated: 11-Nov-2022