Nepali cricket’s former Captain Binod Das is a proficient bowler and batsman. He didn’t allow many people to stand long in the crease. Clean bowled! A day came when he himself was clean bowled in the heart’s crease.[break]
Binod neither had a bat nor a ball in his hand that day. There were only two players in the field – Binod and Karuna. The game didn’t have any toss either. The eyes of both players commenced the bowling at once and both were clean bowled.
First Inning
Binod used to go jogging along with Sharad Veshwakar, depending on his moods. He taught at the Xavier International College in the afternoon. Being the Nepali team’s captain at that time, it was quite normal for him to receive numerous calls from girls – some known and some unknown. But he was not interested in any of them.
It was during the closed camp session at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Naxal, in 2004 when he saw his beloved for the first time. She lived in a house nearby the hotel. He instantly fell for her. He found out her name – Karuna. There was no question Karuna did not know him. They used to see each other everyday. If their eyes met, they used to hide their faces bashfully. But neither of them could speak out their minds.
The closed camp training was nearing its end. Binod felt that he must do something soon. He gathered all his courage and spoke to her, “Excuse me Karuna.” Karuna looked back. “I’m Binod…” he gave his introduction which was not necessary. Before he ended his sentence, Karuna said, “I know you.”
Perhaps Karuna was waiting for this moment. Both exchanged their e-mail addresses and thus began a long chat session.
Although they used to chat a lot online, they used to remain quiet when they met. Both were reluctant to speak as they had doubts. They began speaking openly only after they watched “Bride and Prejudice” at the Jai Nepal Hall.
Their cyber love picked up pace subsequently. Karuna became a regular spectator at the Kirtipur cricket ground. Karuna is fond of Binod’s bowling.
Naxal Express
Love not only gave a new life to Binod but also a new name – Naxal Express. Pakistani cricketer Sohaib Akhtar has been given the nickname “Rawalpindi Express” as Rawalpindi was his birthplace. Binod got his nickname from the birthplace of his love. The then Vice Captain Paras Khadka penned this name while cracking a joke at Kirtipur. Talks of “Naxal Express” soon overshadowed “Rawalpindi Express” which is quite a popular name in the cricket world.
Second Inning
The second inning of Binod’s life began from last year’s winter when he tied the knot with Karuna. A new chapter began after four years of courtship.
The couple now date in their home. They still have vivid memories of their clandestine dating in parks and hills earlier.
Binod rules in the pitch but at home his wife is the one who has the say. She makes sure that Binod is fit for the matches. Earlier, he had become lazy as there was no one to motivate him. Married life has given him a new vigor. There is a general belief that players lose interest in games after they get married but that proves to be wrong in Binod’s case. Karuna has become an inspiration for Binod.
“With married life come responsibilities,” says Binod and adds, “One also has to follow formal duties. We had to meet lots of relatives and both of us had difficulty to manage time.”
Meanwhile, the calls from Binod’s friends, mostly girls, have not stopped even after his marriage. Karuna considers it to be Binod’s personal matter. She has no interest in it. “Blank calls used to annoy me, but that has stopped now,” says Karuna.
So much for cricket chirping love!
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Falling in Love
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