The CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2022 to be played in Qatar has specially invited the members of the two victorious ICC World Cup Indian teams of 1983 and 2011 to come and watch the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The CEO, Nasar Al Khater, has acknowledged that cricket is the most popular sport in India. He was on a trip to Mumbai and was invited for an award giving ceremony. At the function, Nasar Al Khater admitted that he knew that cricket was big in India but that he was not aware that it was this big a sport. I think people who come from non-cricket playing countries have a difficulty in understanding the strength of the love that Indians have for cricket.
The function was also attended by some of the Indian cricketers who were a part of the two ICC World Cup-winning teams of 1983 and 2011. Khatar extended his invitation and said that they are also invited by the organizing committee.
You all know that in the 1983 ICC World Cup, Kapil Dev led the Indian team to victory against the prominent West Indies who at the time were considered almost unbeatable. It was at the Lords in London that India won the World Cup for the first time.
The Indian team had to wait for a long time for the second World Cup victory. It was after another 28 years that the Men in Blue managed to lay their hands on the trophy. In 2011 it was Mahendra Singh Dhoni who was the captain and the final match was played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India. India defeated Sri Lanka in the finals. This time the team will be led by Virat Kohli and have a good chance of bringing the cup back to India. Of the ten teams that will compete for the title, India is considered to be one of the strongest contenders. I feel though that the topmost contenders for the trophy will be the hosts England. The might of the New Zealand team also cannot be overlooked.
Nasar Al Khatar also said that the organising committee of the FIFA World Cup has invited the Indian footballers also for the tournament in 2022.
Indian fans are looking forward to two tournaments this year. The first one is the IPL which is slated to begin on 23 March. The second is undoubtedly the ICC World Cup due to begin in England and Wales on 30 May. Although there are many football lovers too in India, they are easily outnumbered by the number of people who love cricket.
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