February 27

India vs New Zealand semis. Kiwi opener Correy Anderson hits the longest six of the tournament. The ball sails over the press box and just misses the vehicles in the parking lot. A few hiccups, but Sourav Tiwary and Goswami put India in final. Tiwary says that he spoke to Dhoni on phone, Goswami had an online chat with Manoj Tiwary.

February 28

Pakistan vs South Africa semis, the press box is crowded. The PCB has flown in 15 Pakistan journalists for the World Cup. Rain has them tense as the one-dayer becomes two-dayer. Twenty times, am told that “had it started raining five minutes later, Pakistan would have won.” Twenty times say “Yes.”’

February 29

Pakistan are knocked out. Reach team hotel to catch the Indians. Meet assistant manager Hitesh Patel, who is waiting for the boys in the lobby for the team’s visit to the Twin Towers. Pacer Ajit Agral asks Patel if the trip is compulsory. “I will rest in my room,” he says. Agral gets to see the towers a couple of days later. Not just that, the whole world gets to see Agral at the towers as, a day after the final, ICC takes the winning captain and the man-of-the-match of the final to the towers for a photo shoot.

March 1

Someone asks Kohli, when do you return home? “On March 4, we go to Bangalore, from there to Mumbai and later home to Delhi,” he says. Why Mumbai? “For the victory parade, like the Twenty-20 world champions,” he says. Odd that... even on the eve of the final, Virat knew of the events to unfold. He got the venue wrong though.

... contd.