Boria Majumdar
South Africa still needed 10 runs to win the game, and Debasis Sen and I had just managed to set up our live stream outside the Grace Gates at Lord’s. It was a historic moment for the world game, and more so for South Africa. The mighty Australians were about to be humbled, and South African cricket was about to usher in a new dawn in the history of their nation’s sport.
That was when it happened. A supporter wearing a South African jersey ran to us saying, “Robin Petersen is a friend of mine. I know a number of the South African cricketers. Also know some of the footballers.”
Frankly, he was blabbering. Debasis did not like the fact that he was interrupting our live. He soon asked the fan, “So what do you want from us? We are about to begin a live show.”
That was when the penny dropped. “May I get a ticket?” he asked. “My country is about to create history and I want to see it. My name is Eugene, and I stay here in London. If you give me a ticket to go and watch the final moments of this game, I will be forever grateful.”
Debasis looked at me, and we both realised his desperation. This is what true fandom is all about. We had both scanned our tickets out, and Debasis very graciously asked him for his number. The fan still couldn’t believe what was about to happen. He gave Debasis the number, and within 30 seconds, he had been sent a ticket to go in and watch the game.
Once it dawned on him that he had an entry pass, he literally sprinted Usain Bolt style to the steward manning the Grace Gates. And as his ticket was scanned, he turned towards Debasis and shouted, “Call me please. Whenever you are back in London, please call me. Need to take you both out for a meal.”
As the two of us waved at him asking him to go in and do so as soon as possible, he stopped and said to us, “There are still good people in this world, you know. Not everything is bad.”
Debasis looked at me and we smiled at each other. May I say, I was super pleased. This is what sport is all about. It unites and creates bonds that few things can replicate. Till about 10 minutes earlier, we did not know who Eugene was. Not that we know now. But in the few minutes that we were together, Debasis gave him a gift he will remember for a lifetime.
We don’t know if he stayed long to see the South African celebrations. We also don’t know what he must have felt, as a man of colour himself, seeing Temba Bavuma lift the Test Mace at Lord’s. But what we do know is that he would have gone home a very satisfied man. He witnessed history at the Mecca of cricket, and we had a small role in it.