Cricket in Heaven
Anil Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar, now elderly, 85 and 80 years old are sitting on a park bench outside Lord’s cricket ground feeding pigeons and talking about cricket, past series and tours.
Kumble turns to Tendulkar and asks, ‘Do you think there’s cricket in heaven?’
Tendulkar thinks about it for a minute and replies, ‘I dunno. But let’s make an agreement: if I die first, I’ll come back and tell you if there’s cricket in heaven, and if you die first, you do the same.’ They shake hands on it.
Sadly, a few months later, poor Kumble passes on.
One day soon afterward, Tendulkar is sitting there feeding the pigeons by himself when he hears a voice whisper, ‘Sachin….Sachin’
Tendulkar responds, ‘Anil, is that you?’ Yes it is me, ‘whispers Kumble’s ghost.
Tendulkar still amazed enquires, ‘So, is there cricket in heaven?’
‘Well, ‘says Kumble, ‘I’ve got good news and bad news.’
‘Gimme the good news first, ‘says Tendulkar.
‘Well… there is cricket in heaven.’
Tendulkar says, ‘That’s great! What news could be bad enough to ruin that?’
Kumble sighs and whispers, ‘You are going to open the innings this Friday.