SACHINnings 200 !!! a Match 22 Situation!!!

The BRIBE committee decides to bring matters to rest. All quarreling parties are taken to Amby Valley resort for an out-of-media settlement. Arnab Goswami, still not placated, asks for an exclusive interview with the Little Master each of the 5 days of the final test. This is granted. Kejriwal demands that Sachin don the AAM AADMI cap during his final test. BCCI agrees to this as well though the cap would be worn over the helmet. BJP members are given free tickets to the exclusive Ramesh Tendulkar stand. 

All is well for one who tends well. 

Now, the final round of preparations begin. Tickets are sold out within minutes with the minimum rate being INR 1000000, though a vast majority of them were sold internally to the different influential individuals/parties/corporate. Sahara Sports kick starts it's advertising blitzkrieg. BCCI plans to have a series of pre match events for two weeks. Arjun Rampal gets the contract for hosting top-of-the-line parties each evening where the elite social crowd would be invited to party with the Indian and West Indies teams. During the day, Little Master will be attending felicitations from the different cricket boards, meeting international leaders over luncheons, signing cricket memorabilia, giving speeches etc. 

London's Sotheby is tasked with auctioning the cricket gear used by Sachin during the last match. The auction is planned before the match itself so that the prices can be rigged enough to ensure a tidy sum!!! BCCI plans to make a killing in this one. 

Some cricket aficionados make a small hue and cry that all this razzmatazz is spoiling the game and that the players, especially Sachin - should be focusing on his game and net practices. These aberrations are quickly buried under the carpet citing narrow mindedness of few people. This is no longer a match. This is a celebration - quoted Ravi Shastri. 

A verbose team of commentators is being assembled. Navjot Singh Sidhu has been tasked with this activity. Celebrity orators like Sri Sri Ravishankar, Chetan Bhagat, Sushma Swaraj, Shashi Tharoor will be the part of this august team. So, a cracker of an audio talkathon is to be expected. Regional commentators will be another group. The live commentary will be broadcast in around 45 languages; both national and foreign tongues. 

As the M day comes closer, the pace picks up. Sachin is busy throughout the day in his events. The rest of the team accompanies him for each event. The West Indies team, now relegated to back bench has nothing else to do but to ... practise. The Little Master's gastronomic indulgences at the various lunches are beginning to show up around his girth... but what the hell!!! This is a celebration!!! He is a tad worried about the lack of practice sessions but decides not to complain about it though. 

BCCI is pleased. It has managed to create the biggest event in the Cricket history ever!!!!

Coming up next - SACHINnings 200!!! - the grand finale!!!