Of hitting balls and falling towers…

The unthinkable happened today.

Usually, on the day of an India-Pakistan encounter, nothing else matters. From news channels to social media, only one thing trends. Fans line up on both sides of the digital border and fire well-meaning salvos and memes, building up to the actual clash where ball-by-ball updates are thrown around to clog everyone’s timeline.

News channels drop the most granular of statistics to presumably show off their number-crunching AI models – who cares if the 6 that Rohit Sharma just hit is the 178th of his career, and 28th against Pakistan, and 4th at this ground, and the 16th from the pavilion end, the 2nd against that bowler and so on and so forth? I guess we enjoy the six and then hope he goes on to make a great score right?

Anyways, I digress.

Today is an India-Pak encounter, a little more than walking distance from my house. Roads are already getting clogged leading up to the encounter, but digital media is afire with something else.

Yes, the Twin Tower demolitions.

Have been seeing this from a couple of weeks, but the past two days have bordered on the ridiculous. From experts in news studios describing in great detail the kind of explosives that are being used, to the general public taking last-minute selfies against the structure, the media frenzy for something that should be routine is plain crazy.

Yes, it is being sold as symbolism – a rare victory of public opinion over unscrupulous builders who have bribed their way to creating a real estate bubble of epic proportions…but common. Where is the followup? Can we now start being assured that builders will stick to plan and deliver what they promise to the retail buyer? Will the process be made as transparent as it can get? Will we be able to buy a house without taking high-interest loans that last for around quarter of a century?

I don’t know.

I guess one can sell anything nowadays, if you give it enough media fuel.

On the India-Pak clash, not following cricket for long so will just look out for the (actual) fireworks that usually follow such encounters. And will read about India’s win in the news tomorrow. Best of luck to us!