South Africa ki cricket team, jo hamesha bade mauke par ladkhada jaati hai, ek baar phir se apne fans ke dilo mein chhuri chala rahi hai. World Test Championship (WTC) final mein, jab sirf 69 run chahiye aur Aiden Markram aur Temba Bavuma crease par hain, toh bhi har koi soch raha hai – “Ab kya naya drama hoga?” Yeh team toh choker ka tag liye ghoomti hai, aur har baar jab jeet haath mein dikhti hai, toh jaise koi bhoot unke peechhe pad jaata hai. Yaad hai na, 1999 World Cup ka semi-final? Allan Donald aur Lance Klusener ke run-out ne toh pura desh ka dil tod diya tha. Ya phir 2024 T20 World Cup final, jab India ke saamne 30 ball mein 30 run bhi na bana sake? Hamesha wahi kahani – umeed jagti hai, aur phir toot jaati hai.
Lekin thodi der ke liye in sab purane zakhmo ko bhool jao. Aaj ka din alag hai. South Africa ne is baar kuch toh badla hai. Markram ka shandaar century (156 ball mein 102 run) aur Bavuma ka dard ke bawajood 65 run ki innings dekhkar toh lagta hai ki yeh team apne darr se lad rahi hai. Bavuma toh hamstring injury ke saath bhi khel rahe hain, aur unka ek-ek shot jaise Australia ke bowlers ko chup kar raha hai. Yeh wahi Bavuma hain jinhone 2022 mein New Zealand ke khilaaf Christchurch mein 65 run ka partnership banaya tha jab team 38/3 par thi. Us waqt bhi unhone dikha diya tha ki woh pressure mein tik sakte hain. Aur Markram? Yeh toh waise bhi form mein hain – yaad hai 2023 mein Australia ke khilaaf Centurion mein unka 96 run ka knock? Aaj unhone usse bhi ek kadam aage badhaya.
South Africa ka yeh run chase, 282 ka target, Lord’s ke itihas mein bhi bada hai. Lekin pitch toh ab batting ke liye thik ho gayi hai, jaise Australia ke Mitchell Starc aur Josh Hazlewood ke 59 run ke last-wicket stand ne dikhaya. Toh kya South Africa is baar apna sapna pura karegi? Coach Shukri Conrad ka yeh mantra – “Just stay calm” – shayad kaam kar raha hai. Conrad ne toh December mein Pakistan ke khilaaf 148 ke chase mein 19/3 par bhi team ko sambhala tha. Us match ko unhone “Camel classic” kaha tha, jab team ne do wicket se jeet haasil ki. Aaj bhi dressing room mein wahi shanti hai, wahi focus hai, jo assistant coach Ashwell Prince ne bhi bataya. Prince ka kehna hai ki team ab ek ball ek waqt mein khel rahi hai, aur yeh approach unhe jeet ke kareeb le ja rahi hai.
Yeh jeet sirf ek trophy nahi hogi. Yeh South Africa ke cricket ke liye ek nayi shuruaat ho sakti hai. Socho, ek aisa desh jiska cricket itihas apartheid ke kaaran 1970 se 1991 tak band raha, aaj duniya ke sabse bade stage par hai. Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn, AB de Villiers jaise legends ke baad, yeh team apna naam banane ke kareeb hai. 1998 mein ICC Knockout Trophy jeetne ke baad, yeh unka pehla bada ICC title ho sakta hai. Aur yeh jeet Australia jaise defending champions ke khilaaf hogi, jo hamesha final mein apna A-game laate hain. Pat Cummins ka six-wicket haul (6/28) is match mein hi toh South Africa ko pehli innings mein 138 par rok diya tha. Lekin ab South Africa ka jawab dekhiye – 213/2, aur sirf 69 run door.
Lekin cricket toh cricket hai. Lord’s ka mausam, Australia ke bowlers, ya phir South Africa ka apna mann ka bhoot – kuch bhi game palat sakta hai. Yaad hai 2019 World Cup final mein England ke saath kya hua tha? Jab jeet haath mein thi, tab bhi ek super over ne sab kuch badal diya. South Africa ke fans toh ab bhi apni saanse roke baithe honge, kyunki unhe pata hai – 69 run door hain, lekin cricket ke is khel mein, ek ball bhi kafi hai dil todne ke liye.
