The Melting Party Strange are the ways. The way Bourgeoisie Politicians of India Behave. All the Best Even two days ago it seemed all hopes lost in World Cup scene Parties looking for adjustments SP yet undecided Prasar Bharati Vice President urged not to appoint CEO now CITU To lanunch campaign agaisnt war

Even two days back, all hope seemed to have been lost. After the loss to Zimbabwe, cricket fans in India in general and Calcutta in particular were spewing venom on the Indian cricket team, Azharuddin to be more specific and there was talk of even recalling the team after grounding to dust all the hopes and aspirations of the country. Only some months back, the football world cup had been there for all to see and the passions ignited in Calcutta could be matched by the hopes on the streets of Brazil but cricket is a different ballgame altogether; the decider being the fact of participation. India is playing in the cricket world cup and obviously the competition involved has given rise to chances of victory or defeat; it is a point of not mere reference factor that Indians cannot take defeat on the cricket fields lightly. Zimbabwe was a major low point, but the hopes were rekindled with the stunning level of victory achieved against lowly-placed Kenya but that did not take anything away from the fact that victory was at hand and the sights were again set on the possibilities of the Cup coming home.

And now, England has changed even all that. And one man, Saurav Ganguly, the ``Prince of Calcutta,'' has become the cynosure of all eyes, winning the Man of Match awards for two consecutive matches. On Sunday, after India won the delayed match with England convincingly with Ganguly playing no mean part in the winning effort, Calcutta was out on the streets; the bands on the streets which came out not so much as by design rather than spontaneity were indicators of what lies in store. Ganguly has already become a cult figure in Calcutta and if he does perform even remotely well with either bat or ball or both, then there is major euphoria ahead. It will be heady days for Calcutta soon. India is already in the Super Six which means that there will be at least three matches in the next few days to which the country will be glued to. There are no fears of dying suddenly, as the jargon goes, and no major suspense in the games except the most natural expectations of winning. ``All the best'' is a time-tested cheer slogan. May be, the time has come to translate this into actual performance and not only through clinical, cosmetic ads on television. The collective wishes of the country should be with the 11 who are out there in England.