March Madness: Cricket Edition

While we Americans take little interest in the world outside our borders, it should be noted that the cricket World Cup is currently taking place in the West Indies. This quaint tradition--a placeholder for the bad old days of colonialism--is of signal importance in households around the world--even as English dominance in the sport has faded and thrashing erstwhile colonial masters has lost some of its appeal.

In Pakistan talk of a resurgence had reached fever pitch the last few weeks: In the wake of ball-tampering and doping scandals, was this to be the year that our fearless (at least in the face of the proverbial extra donut) captain Inzamam (pictured) would lead us back to '92 glory? Sadly, no. Not only did Pakistan lose to the host team, over the weekend it lost to--wait for it--Ireland, a team from a country that disdains all things English; a team that is playing in its first ever World Cup; a team made up of, I shit you not, electricians, postmen, and delivery truck drivers, amateurs who must now look into requesting extra vacation time from their bosses just so that they can play in the Super 8's (the second round, to which Ireland will likely advance and to which Pakistan will not). "Without a hint of doubt in my mind, it's the lowest point in Pakistan cricket," said Initikhab Alam, the coach of the triumphant '92 team...but actually it wasn't. The lowest point would come just hours later when...

THE COACH OF THE PAKISTANI TEAM, BOB WOOLMER, WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS HOTEL ROOM. An autopsy is scheduled, and I fear the worst--coincidence just seems like too much to ask.

In the end, Pakistan was on the wrong end of the worst upset in cricket history, and one way or the other--because of murder or shock--its coach paid for it with his life. That's cold. Cold for the streets, and makes basketball March Madness look like backgammon at the old folks' home.