(Unity Cup at Hill View Stadium, PN)
Cricket is a psychological game, and also deeply spiritual. It is a game wherein the body is not exercised so much as the mind. Cricket is a game of strategy wherein one team tries to apply psychological pressure on the other and whoever hold their nerves will win the game. It is popular, because it is a more a game for the mind than for the body. Cricket is a game of decisions – the decision to field or bat first, the decision to set right batting order or to set the right field for every batsman and choose the right bowler at the right time. It is a game of decision-making.
But decisions are not taken by everybody. Every decision needs a leader, a person who guides and encourages the players in circumstances that change from moment to moment. He is the captain of the team to whom other players look up to. So, cricket is a team game wherein players have to help and sacrifice for each other.
(Sri Sathya Baba with renowed Cricketers, Gavaskar, Sachin & Ranatunga)
Then, what has cricket to do with spirituality? You have heard Me say, Life is a game, play it. Cricket is a good example. The three stumps that you are trying to guard are three aspects of your personality – Physical self, Psychological self and Spiritual self. The batsman is Jivatma or individual soul who wields the bat of the mind in many ways. If he does not know how to use this bat of the mind, he cannot protect himself; his own mind destroys him. What are balls he faces every time? Each and every ball is an experience, a situation presented to him in the game of life. It is a chance given to him to see how he handles that experience. A fast ball is like an experience that comes up suddenly. How does a batsman react to it? Does he calmly leave the ball or does he go on defend or does he become desperate and commit a mistake? The batsman should try to figure out what kind of ball is bowled at him and handle it accordingly. The only weapon that he has in his hand is his mind. Therefore, a good batsman is one who has control over his mind. Only then will he succeed in the game of life!
You are lucky to play in this stadium, which you have named…. But remember, one day, great cricket players will play here and Swami will watch Your cricket matches are very boring; that is why, I don’t come there. But one day, you will see ‘big’ players come to Prasanthi Nilayam.
(A cricket match was played at Prasanthi Nilayam between students of Prasanthi Nilayam and Brindavan in January 1985 as part of Intercampus Sports Meet of the Deemed University---Sri Sathya Sai Unity Cup International cricket match played of the Hill view Stadium in Prasanthi Nilayam on 30th December 1997) - (SSSm Vol.7, pp. 136-138)