Team India in Houston Hall

Beginning at 5 a.m. this morning students and other members of the Penn community gathered in Houston Hall to watch the ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal matchup of India and Pakistan. The matchup pitted fierce rivals who have fought four wars since their partition in 1947, and the game didn't disappoint.

Paced with 84 runs by star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, India was able to place their score 260 (in 50 overs) just out of reach of the Pakistanis who managed to score 231 runs (all out). In case you don't know who Sachin Tendulkar is, ESPN's Wright Thompson wrote a great profile about the legend, which was on the front page of ESPN.com last night. in his piece he writes:

"He's done it. A century. I've never been in a stadium that feels like this one. Hindus and Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, people from different castes and classes, speakers of a dozen languages, all citizens in the Republic of Sachin. The stern cops give wide smiles and thumbs-ups. The chant goes from "Sachin! Sachin!" to "Hoo … ha … IN-DI-A!" They are interchangeable. Finally, at 120, Sachin pops out. He walks off, and the crowd rises once again. The people lean over the railings, trying for one more moment with their hero.He waves his bat and disappears.Sachin's gone."

After the final out the Indian-partisan crowd at Houston Hall erupted in jubilation. Chanting "Sachin" and "Jitega bhai jitega india jitega" (Will win, Indian will win).