Shimla-the birthplace of the Durand Cup and the Indian Air Force ...

though he felt a bit uncomfortable. He soon forgot about it
and started training the boys, subconsciously confident, with
greater vigour. The team improved by the day. The coordination
between the team players was so good the number of spectators
amongst the unit personnel (who had earlier thought them to
be a joke and a flight of fancy of the CO) started to increase by
the day. Even a few spontaneous cheers of encouragement were
heard. The team seemed to have arrived.
The Divisional Football Championship commenced. The
butterflies catapulting within the unit personnel’s stomach
calmed down as the team soared from success to success. The
first round came and went; the second round was another easy
success. Confidence amongst the unit personnel grew.The semi
final against the Artillery Medium Regiment was a nail biter.
They were a contender for the finals. Kashmira, the ball jae
aadmin na jaiye man had saved the team from a catastrophe.
The hawk eyed referee saw through his gambit and gave him a
yellow card. It brought him to his senses, but he still managed
to stop the raids by the Artillery men, who pompously called
themselves the Ferozpur Arsenal!
The Artillery scored twice and there was no reply from the
unit. Cold sweat broke out. Half time came and went. No spark
came from the unit team. This state of affair continued and
then suddenly, out of the blue, some deft dribbling by Ramu
from the half line netted a beautiful low bend it like Beckam to
drop the margin. 10 minutes were left. There was no hope in
hell to square the goals and go into the extra time. Ramu, once
again proved his mettle. This time he got tripped in the goal
mouth by a desperate artillery gun loader who rammed him
as if he was ramming a charge. Ramu flew out like a Charge 8
Bofor shell and hit the ground. Yells of penalty rent the air. The
referee looked nonplussed. There was a good chance he had
humour
not seen this deliberate thuggery! The time ticked by, tension
grew….. and the unit was crestfallen. Then the shrill whistle
came and the referee pointed to the dreaded spot – the penalty
spot! Thunderous cheer rent the air as the goal’s net bounced
with the impressively deceptive shot by Chintaharan. The CO,
forgetting that he was a CO, thumped the astonished Brigade
Commander hard on the back, not once but thrice!!! The score
was two all! What a turnaround!
There was still 5 minutes to go. The game was furiously fought.
It went back and forth. The spectators were on their feet. Three
minutes to go and there was still no result yet. The game was
sure to go into extra time. The spectators were biting their nails.
And then suddenly, out of nowhere, Kashmira, the stopper full
back, for no rhyme and reason charged forward, leaving the
unit goal mouth empty! A dangerous thing to do, but there was
no stopping Kashmira. He charged past the half line, got into
a melee at the 25 yarder and heaved one God almighty kick in
no direction at all! The ball whizzed forward, hit a defender,
deflected past another and went straight past the bewildered
goalkeeper and into the goal!! The unit had won the semis!!
The scene was chaotic within the unit stands. The spectators
were ecstatic. The CO ran into the field, the Brigade Commander
wanting to restrain him caught hold of his shirt and in the
bargain was pulled along and so sheepishly tried to cover up as
if he too had come in to congratulate the team!Our joy knew no
bounds and the CO threw an impromptu barakhana that night!
His cup of joy bubbled over the brim and so did the pegs of rum
that flowed as if there was no tomorrow.
Then catastrophe hit the team! Kashmira, the stopper full back,
who looked and acted as Rocky Marciano aka Rocco Francis
Marchegiano aka the Brockton Blockbuster/ the Rock from
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