Lekin shuruaat mein thodi si shikayat bhi hai. South Africa ki qualification ko lekar kaafi log sawal utha rahe hain. Unka yeh kehna hai ki Proteas ne apna rasta West Indies, Bangladesh aur Sri Lanka jaisi teams ko hara kar banaya, jo rankings mein kaafi neeche hain. Yeh baat thodi si khatak rahi hai, kyunki Australia aur England jaisi badi teams ke khilaaf South Africa ne is cycle mein ek bhi Test match nahi khela. Ek X post mein @wutube ne is system ko ‘flawed’ kaha, aur yeh baat kaafi logon ke dil se dil tak jati hai. Aisa lagta hai jaise World Test Championship ka yeh format poora insaaf nahi karta, aur shayad ismein kuch kami reh gayi hai.
Lekin jab aap Lord’s ke maidaan par nazar daudayenge, to yeh saari shikayatein dheere-dheere pighalne lagti hain. Yeh woh jagah hai jahan cricket ka itihas bolta hai. 2019 ka World Cup final yaad hai? England aur New Zealand ke beech woh match, jahan super over bhi tie ho gaya tha! Lord’s ne hamesha se bade matches ko apni god mein sameta hai, aur ab World Test Championship final 2025 ke liye bhi yeh maidaan taiyaar hai. South Africa, Temba Bavuma ki captaincy mein, apna pehla WTC title jeetne ke liye maidaan mein utarne wali hai. Unke saamne hai defending champions Australia, jo 2023 mein India ko hara kar mace jeet chuke hain. Yeh match sirf ek trophy ke liye nahi, balki South Africa ke liye apne purane dard ko mitaane ka mauka bhi hai. 1998 ke baad se unka ek hi ICC title hai – Champions Trophy – aur ab yeh ek nayi kahani likhne ka waqt hai.
South Africa ka safar bhi kamaal ka raha hai. 12 Test matches mein se 8 jeet, 3 haar aur 1 draw – yeh stats unki mehnat aur jazbe ko dikhate hain. Temba Bavuma ki unbeaten captaincy aur Kyle Verreynne ke do shandaar centuries ne unhe yahan tak pahunchaya., Dusri taraf, Australia ke pass Travis Head jaisa batsman hai, jinhone 2023 WTC final mein 163 runs ki shandaar inning kheli thi, aur Josh Hazlewood jaise bowler, jo Lord’s mein hamesha dangerous rahe hain., Dono teams ke beech yeh takkar ek classic Test match ka wada karti hai, jahan Kagiso Rabada jaise bowlers Steve Smith jaise batsmen ko challenge karenge. Rabada, jo South Africa ke all-time Test wicket-takers mein fifth hain, aur bas 3 wickets door hain Allan Donald ke record se, yeh mauka apne aap mein ek itihas bana sakta hai.
Lord’s ka yeh final na sirf players ke liye, balki fans ke liye bhi ek celebration hai. Yeh maidaan, jahan Don Bradman se lekar Sachin Tendulkar tak ne apne naam ke chhap chhodi, ab ek naye chapter ke liye taiyaar hai. South Africa ke spinner Keshav Maharaj ne kaha, “Hum apne purane legends ka sammaan karna chahte hain.” Aur yeh baat dil ko chhoo jati hai. Cricket ke is format mein, jahan har ball ek kahani kehti hai, World Test Championship ne Test cricket ko ek nayi jaan di hai. Nathan Lyon, Australia ke star spinner, ne bhi South Africa ke batting line-up ki taareef ki hai, aur kaha ki Aiden Markram aur David Bedingham jaise players unke liye bada challenge honge. Yeh match sirf runs aur wickets ka nahi, balki jazbe aur strategy ka bhi hai.
Lekin phir bhi, ek chhota sa sanket dil mein reh jata hai. System mein kami toh hai. South Africa ke qualification ke bawajood, yeh sawal baaki hai ki kya yeh format sach mein duniya ki do best teams ko saamne laata hai? Australia ne 19 matches khele, 13 jeete, jabki South Africa ne sirf 12 matches khele. Kya yeh bilkul barabar ka muqabla hai? Shayad nahi. Aur phir bhi, jab Lord’s ke us iconic pavilion ke neeche players utrenge, to yeh saare sawal background mein chhup jayenge. Lekin match ke baad, jab trophy uthayi jayegi, toh shayad yeh baat phir se ubhar kar aayegi ki World Test Championship ka yeh safar abhi bhi thoda sa adhoora hai.
