For More Future Chapters: -
My Patreon: -
https://www.patreon.com/c/Kynstra
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please Donate Power Stones and Join My Patreon.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The LED stumps were still flashing red, the aftermath of Aarav Pathak's supernatural dipping knuckleball. Devon Conway, the man who was supposed to lead the chase, was walking back to the dugout, completely baffled by the delivery that had dropped out of the sky.
The stadium was vibrating with the roar of the Gujarat Titans fans, but inside the CSK dugout, MS Dhoni was already making his next move. He didn't send in Shivam Dube to slog. He didn't send in Moeen Ali.
Walking down the steps of the Narendra Modi Stadium was the veteran, Ajinkya Rahane.
Gaurav Kapur: "A massive, massive wicket for the Gujarat Titans! Aarav Pathak removes Devon Conway, and the crowd here in Ahmedabad is going absolutely ballistic! But look who walks out at Number 3 for Chennai. It's Ajinkya Rahane!"
Aakash Chopra: "This is the reborn Ajinkya Rahane, Gaurav. The '2.0' version that MS Dhoni has unlocked this season. He doesn't take time to settle anymore. He has been striking at over 170 in this tournament. He plays proper cricketing shots, but he hits them with immense intent."
Navjot Singh Sidhu (Adjusting his headset): "Oye Guru! Sona jitna tapti aag mein jalta hai, utna hi nikharta hai! (The more gold burns in the fire, the brighter it shines!). Ajinkya Rahane has been through the fire, my friend! He has the experience of a hundred battles! But Aarav Pathak is breathing fire from the other end. This is going to be a clash of absolute purists!"
Rahane walked to the crease, taking a moment to look at the wet, glistening outfield. He tapped his bat on the pitch, exchanging a brief, focused nod with Ruturaj Gaikwad. The required run rate was a terrifying 14 runs per over. There was no time for sighters.
Over 4: Joshua Little
Aarav Pathak, having bowled his golden over, decided to rotate his bowlers. He threw the ball to the, Joshua Little, for the 4th over. The 5-over Powerplay meant every single boundary restriction had to be maximized.
Ruturaj Gaikwad was on strike
Ball 1: Joshua Little ran in, hitting the deck hard. He bowled it full and straight, aiming for the middle stump. Ruturaj didn't try to muscle it over mid-wicket. He stayed incredibly still, presenting the full, vertical face of the bat. He met the ball perfectly on the rise, playing a breathtaking straight drive right back past the bowler. It was hit with such pristine timing that Joshua Little didn't even bother putting a hand out. The ball raced down the ground, crashing into the straight boundary. FOUR.
Aakash Chopra: "Oh, picture perfect! Absolutely gorgeous from Ruturaj Gaikwad! He just shows the bat maker's name and threads it straight down the ground. You cannot set a field for a shot that straight!"
Ball 2: Little, stung by the boundary, pulled his length back slightly, aiming for the ribcage. Ruturaj swiveled and tucked it softly to deep square leg, easily jogging to the other end. 1 Run.
Ball 3: Ajinkya Rahane took strike for the first time in the final. Joshua Little bowled a tight, skidding delivery on the fourth stump line. Rahane, with soft hands, opened the face of the bat and guided it to point. They scampered through for a quick single to get the veteran off the mark. 1 Run.
Ball 4: Ruturaj back on strike. Little went for the yorker but missed, bowling a low full toss. Ruturaj jammed it out to mid-on and called Rahane through for another sharp single. 1 Run.
Ball 5: Ajinkya Rahane on strike. Little, trying to keep the ball away from Rahane's pads, decided to go wide of the off-stump, bowling it on a driving length.
Rahane saw the width early. He didn't slash at it wildly. In a display of pure, orthodox brilliance, Rahane made a slight bit of room by clearing his front leg. He went down slightly, got underneath the length of the ball, and played an exquisite inside-out lofted drive over extra cover. The ball sailed beautifully over the infield, taking one bounce before hitting the advertising cushions. FOUR.
Gaurav Kapur: "SHOT! Oh, that is vintage Ajinkya Rahane! He makes room, goes inside-out over extra cover! The placement is millimeter-perfect! He is not letting Joshua Little settle at all!"
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "Oye oye! Jaise makkhan pe chhuri chalati hai, waise Rahane ka bat chala hai! (Like a knife gliding through butter, that's how Rahane's bat moved!). That is one of the hardest shots in cricket to execute! Hitting a ball over extra cover with the spin or the angle takes wrists of steel! Pure timing, zero violence!"
Ball 6: Joshua Little looked flustered. Aarav Pathak shouted from mid-off, "Keep it tighter, Josh! Don't give him room!"
Little ran in for the final ball of the over. He tried to follow his captain's instructions and bowl straighter, but the wet ball slipped slightly in his fingers. It ended up in the exact same spot—full and wide outside the off-stump.
Ajinkya Rahane's smile widen. If it worked once, it would work twice. He backed away again, but this time, he threw the kitchen sink at it. He executed the exact same inside-out lofted drive, but with a ferocity that surprised everyone in the stadium.
The ball didn't bounce this time. It soared high into the Ahmedabad night, clearing the extra cover boundary rope and landing ten rows back into the stands! SIX!
Aakash Chopra: "SAME BALL, SAME SHOT, BUT THE RESULT IS EVEN BIGGER! Ajinkya Rahane has hit that into the second tier! The inside-out drive for a maximum! Joshua Little is absolutely stunned! The veteran is turning back the clock here at the Narendra Modi Stadium!"
End of Over 4.Score: CSK 50/1. Runs from Over: 17. Ajinkya Rahane: 11* (3 balls). Ruturaj Gaikwad: 20* (13 balls).
Gaurav Kapur: "17 runs off the over! And just like that, the Chennai Super Kings bring up their fifty! They needed a big over after Conway's dismissal, and Ajinkya Rahane has delivered it instantly! The required rate is 13.7, and they are keeping pace!"
Over 5: Rashid Khan
With the score at 50/1, the 5-over Powerplay was entering its final six deliveries. The game was hurtling forward at a breakneck speed. Aarav Pathak knew that if CSK escaped the Powerplay without losing another wicket, their deep batting lineup would become incredibly dangerous on the skidding, wet outfield.
He didn't hold back. He brought his premier weapon into the attack. Rashid Khan.
To introduce a leg-spinner in the Powerplay against two set, attacking batters was a massive gamble. But Aarav was a gambler.
Aarav took his position. But he didn't stand at mid-off or covers this time. He walked right up into the batsman's peripheral vision, taking his place at first slip. He then signaled to Shubman Gill, placing him at a sharp, catching extra cover position to stop the inside-out drive that Rahane had just played. Finally, he placed Abhishek Sharma at a very fine third man.
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "Look at this field! Aarav Pathak is putting himself in the firing line! A slip for a spinner in the final over of the Powerplay? This is aggressive! Loha hi lohe ko kaatta hai, aur yahan heera heere ko kaatne aaya hai! (Iron cuts iron, and here a diamond has come to cut a diamond!). He is hunting for a wicket!"
Ball 1: Rashid Khan ran in with his quick, whippy action. Ruturaj Gaikwad, however, had done his homework. He knew that against Rashid, letting the ball pitch and spin was fatal.
As soon as Rashid released the ball, Ruturaj danced down the track. He got to the pitch of the delivery before it could do any tricks. With a beautiful, fluid swing of the bat, he launched the ball straight back over the bowler's head, high into the night sky. SIX!
Gaurav Kapur: "HE STEPS OUT AND SMOKES IT! What a way to greet Rashid Khan! Ruturaj Gaikwad says, 'I don't care about your reputation!' He gets to the pitch and deposits it into the sight screen! CSK are not backing down!"
Ball 2: Rashid, unfazed, fired his next delivery flatter and quicker, aiming for the pads. Ruturaj, maintaining his balance, went down on one knee and played a controlled sweep shot, rolling his wrists to keep it along the carpet. It went straight to deep square leg. 1 Run.
Ball 3: Rahane back on strike. Rashid bowled a googly, trying to find the inside edge. Rahane read it from the hand, stepping back and tapping it gently towards the vacant mid-wicket region for an easy single. 1 Run.
Ball 4: Ruturaj faced a slider. He pushed it with hard hands towards mid-off and scrambled across to rotate the strike. 1 Run.
Ball 5: Ajinkya Rahane on strike. Rashid Khan tossed it up slightly, drifting it wide outside the off-stump, hoping the slip fielder (Aarav) or the extra cover (Gill) would come into play if Rahane went for the drive again.
But Rahane didn't drive. He waited for the ball. He let it come to him. At the very last microsecond, he opened the face of his bat and played a delicate, exquisite late cut. The ball threaded the needle, passing agonizingly close to Aarav at slip and zipping past Abhishek Sharma at short third man. FOUR.
Aakash Chopra: "Oh, what a shot! That is pure finesse! He used Rashid's pace, opened the face of the bat, and guided it past the slip cordon! Aarav Pathak put himself there to catch it, but Rahane just steered it right past him! 13 runs off the over already!"
Ball 6: Rashid bowled a quick, darting delivery on the middle stump. Rahane played it sensibly, pushing it into the gap at long-on to take a single, keeping the strike for the next over. 1 Run.
End of Over 5 (End of Powerplay).Score: CSK 64/1. Runs from Over: 14. Ruturaj Gaikwad: 28* (16 balls). Ajinkya Rahane: 18* (7 balls).
As the umpires signaled the end of the mandatory fielding restrictions, the giant screens flashed the required statistics.
Target: 201 Current Score: 64/1 (5 Overs) Required Runs: 137 runs from 60 balls. Required Run Rate: 13.70
Gaurav Kapur: "Take a breath, everybody! That brings an end to a breathless, chaotic, absolutely pulsating 5-over Powerplay! Chennai Super Kings are 64 for 1! They needed 13.4 runs an over at the start, and they are striking at 12.8. They are right in this chase!"
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "Oye, this is a heavyweight boxing match! Aarav Pathak threw a knockout punch by dismissing Conway, but Rahane and Ruturaj have countered with an absolute flurry of combinations! 31 runs in the last two overs! The momentum is shifting like a pendulum in a hurricane!"
Aakash Chopra: "Aarav's gamble to bring Rashid early didn't pay off in terms of wickets, but you have to admire the intent. Now, the field spreads. Five men go back on the boundary. The ball is wet, the outfield is skidding. MS Dhoni is sitting in the dugout with a calm smile. He knows his veterans have set the perfect launchpad for Shivam Dube and Moeen Ali."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mandatory fielding restrictions were lifted. The 30-yard circle, which had been packed with tense fielders, suddenly expanded as five men were dispatched to patrol the vast boundaries of the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Aarav Pathak didn't waste time. He needed to break the rhythm that Ajinkya Rahane and Ruturaj Gaikwad had built in the last two overs. He signaled to his premier left-arm wrist spinner, Kuldeep Yadav.
Gaurav Kapur: "The Powerplay is done, and here comes the Chinaman. Kuldeep Yadav into the attack for the 6th over (first over outside the Powerplay). The required run rate is still hovering around 13.7. Every dot ball is a pressure cooker."
Aarav orchestrated the field with precision. He placed a deep mid-wicket, a long-on, and a deep square leg. But the most crucial placement was his own.
Aarav walked right up into the slip position. Standing at 6'2", with broad shoulders and the reflexes of a predator, he covered an immense area.
Aakash Chopra: "Look at the Captain. He puts himself at slip for the spinner again. When you have a man that tall in the cordon, it plays with the batsman's mind. But height isn't enough; to cover the edges that fly off spinners, you need the agility of a cheetah."
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "Oye, Chite ki chaal, baaz ki nazar, aur Seth ki fielding par sandeh nahi karte! (Never doubt the speed of a cheetah, the vision of a hawk, and the fielding of the Seth!). He is standing there like a coiled spring, ready to pounce!"
Over 6: Kuldeep Yadav to Ajinkya Rahane
The stadium was buzzing. The stump mic caught the clear, commanding voice of the Gujarat Titans captain echoing across the pitch.
"Come on KD! Come on KD! googly daal, samajh nahi aayega!" (Bowl him a googly, he won't pick it!) Aarav shouted, clapping his hands loudly, hyping up his spinner.
Ball 1: Kuldeep ran in and tossed the first delivery up, trying to bowl the googly as instructed. It pitched outside off. But Ajinkya Rahane, relying on his years of experience, didn't try to read it off the pitch. He went down on one knee instantly, brought his bat around, and played a hard, conventional sweep. He found the gap perfectly between deep square leg and short fine leg. FOUR.
Gaurav Kapur: "Beautifully played! Rahane sweeps the first ball for a boundary! He didn't care if it was a leg-break or a googly; he just swept the length!"
Ball 2: Aarav didn't look frustrated. He adjusted his cap, crouched lower at slip, and yelled out a new instruction.
"Kuldeep bhai, thoda seedha daal na! Aur tez kar!" (Kuldeep bro, bowl it a bit straighter! And faster!)
Kuldeep nodded. He bounded in with a quicker arm action. He didn't toss it up this time. He fired a flat, darting delivery directly at the middle stump. The speed gun flashed: 101 kmph.
Rahane, emboldened by the previous boundary, went down on one knee again to repeat the sweep shot. But the extra pace and the flatter trajectory completely defeated his timing. He was late on the swing.
The ball struck the very top edge of the bat. It shot up into the air, flying furiously backward and high, aiming to safely clear the slip fielder.
Time seemed to slow down at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Aarav Pathak, standing at slip, tracked the ball's trajectory. It was flying directly over his head, too high for a normal catch.
But Aarav was not normal. He engaged every muscle in his core. He stretched his body violently backward, bending his spine into an impossible, gravity-defying arch. He launched himself off the turf, fully extending his right arm behind his head, maximizing every single inch of his 6'2" frame.
The ball, traveling like a bullet, slammed into the webbing of his right hand. THWACK.
The sheer momentum of the catch threw Aarav backward. He hit the ground hard, rolling over his shoulder, but as he completed the roll, he thrust his right hand high into the air.
The white Kookaburra ball was stuck firmly inside his fingers.
Ravi Shastri (SCREAMING IN PURE DISBELIEF): "OH, HE'S PLUCKED IT OUT OF THE STARS! I DO NOT BELIEVE IT! AARAV PATHAK HAS JUST PULLED OFF THE CATCH OF THE CENTURY! He arches backward like a high-jumper and catches a flying top-edge with one hand! That is physically impossible!"
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "UNBELIEVABLE! Arre, isne toh hawa mein udte hue parinde ko dabocha hai! (He has snatched a flying bird out of the air!). That wasn't a catch, that was theft! Pure, unadulterated thievery! Ajinkya Rahane is standing there completely stunned!"
The Gujarat Titans team lost their minds. Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma sprinted from the covers, launching themselves directly onto Aarav, who was still lying on the grass, laughing hysterically. David Miller joined the dogpile.
As Aarav finally pushed himself up from the ground, brushing the grass off his jersey, he ran towards the bowler. Kuldeep Yadav, absolutely ecstatic, took a running leap and jumped squarely into Aarav's arms. Aarav caught the spinner mid-air, holding him against his chest, roaring at the crowd as the stadium erupted into absolute pandemonium.
Ajinkya Rahane c Aarav b Kuldeep 22 (9)Score: CSK 68/2 (5.2 Overs)
Rahane had done his job a quickfire 22. Now, CSK's premier spin-hitters needed to take charge.
The giant screen flashed the new batsman. Shivam Dube.
Aakash Chopra: "The celebrations are done and look who walks out. Shivam Dube. He is built like a tank, and he is CSK's designated spin destroyer. If there is one man who loves hitting left-arm wrist spin into the stands, it's him."
Dube walked to the crease, towering over the stumps. He didn't take a sighter. He didn't look around. He just stared at Kuldeep Yadav.
Ball 3: Kuldeep, pumped up by the wicket, tossed the ball up, trying to tempt the new batsman with flight outside the off-stump.
It was a fatal mistake. Shivam Dube didn't even move his feet much. He just extended his incredibly long levers, swung his massive bat, and connected with the absolute sweet spot. The ball didn't just fly; it rocketed straight back over the bowler's head, clearing the sight screen by a massive margin.
101 METERS!
Gaurav Kapur: "BANG! WHAT A WELCOME! Shivam Dube says, 'Nice catch, but watch this!' First ball he faces, and he deposits it 101 meters into the stands! That is brute force!"
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "Oye! Sher ke muh mein haath daloge toh khoon toh niklega hi! (If you put your hand in a lion's mouth, you will bleed!). He stood there like a colossal statue and launched a missile! CSK are not backing down one bit!"
Ball 4: Kuldeep, instantly realizing he couldn't flight the ball to Dube, darted the next one in flat on the pads. Dube, showing maturity, simply tucked it to deep square leg for an easy single. 1 Run.
Ball 5:Ruturaj Gaikwad was back on strike. He had been a silent spectator for the last few minutes. Kuldeep bowled a googly, and Ruturaj worked it gently to long-on to rotate the strike. 1 Run.
Ball 6: Shivam Dube was back on strike for the final ball of the chaotic over. Kuldeep tried to bowl wide to keep it away from Dube's hitting arc, but he offered slightly too much width. Dube rocked back and slashed it fiercely past the diving point fielder. The ball raced to the boundary rope. FOUR.
End of Over 6 .Score: CSK 80/2. Runs from Over: 16 runs and a sensational wicket.
Aakash Chopra: "What an absolutely breathless over of T20 cricket! A boundary, the catch of the tournament by Aarav Pathak, and then Shivam Dube walks in and hits 11 runs off his first three balls! 16 runs off the over! The pendulum swings wildly in Ahmedabad!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The replay of Aarav Pathak's gravity-defying, one-handed blinder at slip was playing on a continuous loop on the giant screens. The stadium was vibrating, but the epicenter of the earthquake was undoubtedly the East Stand.
Aarti, the designated conductor of the Gujju Titans, didn't just raise her baton; she practically threw her whole body into the rhythm.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM! The Drums fired off in a rapid, frenzied staccato.
In perfect, terrifying synchronization, the 1,023 hardcore fans flipped their massive placards. The standard Gujarat Titans logo vanished. In its place, a colossal, hyper-realistic mosaic emerged across the entire stand. It was a breathtaking, comic-book-style silhouette of Aarav Pathak, in mid-air, with a pair of cheetah spots painted across his jersey, clutching a glowing white ball.
Below the massive artwork, a digital banner unfurled across the railing: "AIR PATHAK: CLEARANCE FOR TAKEOFF."
Gaurav Kapur: "Oh, look at the stands! The Gujju Titans have done it again! The coordination is simply mind-boggling! This fan base is operating on a completely different level of passion!"
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "Oye Guru! Kamaal kardiya inn bacchon ne! (These kids have done wonders!). The Seth flies on the pitch, and his army paints him in the sky! It is a psychological fortress! But look at Ruturaj Gaikwad out there. The ice-man. He is not looking at the stands. He is looking at Rashid Khan."
Aarav, having returned to his mark at first slip, tapped his knees, his adrenaline still pumping. He tossed the ball to his premium strike weapon, Rashid Khan.
Ball 1: Rashid ran in, firing a quick leg-break. Ruturaj Gaikwad, unflappable, went deep in his crease and worked it softly to square leg. 1 Run.
Ball 2: Rashid tried to bowl the googly to the towering Shivam Dube, but it slipped out of his hand, drifting way down the leg side. Wide.
Ball 2 (Re-bowl): Rashid overcompensated, tossing it up slightly outside the off-stump. Dube, utilizing his massive reach, freed his arms and slapped it fiercely through the extra cover region. The ball raced to the boundary like a tracer bullet. FOUR.
Aakash Chopra: "Brute force! He doesn't even need to move his feet perfectly. Just the sheer arc of the bat and power! Dube is sending a message to Rashid Khan."
Ball 3: Rashid darted one into the pads. Dube tucked it to deep mid-wicket. 1 Run.
Ball 4: Ruturaj drove a fuller delivery straight to mid-off. Dot.
Ball 5: Rashid bowled his signature quick wrong 'un. Ruturaj picked it beautifully from the hand. He stayed low, opened the face of the bat at the very last second, and guided it past the diving short third man. FOUR.
Ball 6: Rashid, frustrated, dragged his length back. Ruturaj rocked onto the back foot, found the gap between point and cover, and punched it exquisitely. FOUR.
End of Over 7.Score: CSK 95/2. Runs from Over: 15.
Gaurav Kapur: "What an over for Chennai! Ruturaj Gaikwad is putting on a clinic! He is not letting Rashid Khan settle into any sort of rhythm. 15 runs off the Afghan maestro! The required rate is being manhandled!"
Over 8:
Aarav threw the ball back to Kuldeep Yadav, who had been taken for a 101-meter six by Dube in his previous over but had also induced the wicket of Rahane.
Ball 1: Kuldeep ran in, desperate to make amends against Dube. He bowled a fast, darting googly aimed at the middle and leg stump. Dube, trying to play a defensive flick across the line, got into an awkward tangle.
The ball thudded loudly into his front pad.
"HOWZZZZAAAAATTT!!!" Kuldeep Yadav erupted, jumping up and down, pointing a trembling finger at the umpire. He screamed so loud his voice cracked.
Umpire Nitin Menon stood completely still, shaking his head. Not Out.
Kuldeep spun around, panic and desperation written all over his face. He sprinted towards the slip, practically skidding to a halt in front of Aarav and Heinrich Klaasen.
"Out hai yaar, Seth! Sidha pad pe hai! Pakka out hai!" (It's out man, Seth! Straight on the pad! Definitely out!) Kuldeep pleaded, his hands clasped together like he was begging for a loan.
Aarav, hands resting on his knees, looked at his wicket-keeper. Klaasen, who had the best view, shook his head with a small smile. "I think the ball hit the bat first, Skip. Heard two noises."
Aarav nodded, standing up. "Me too, KD. It's bat first. No review."
Kuldeep's eyes went wide with frantic desperation. "Naah yaar Aarav! Le le review! Please le le! Tu mera sun!" (No man Aarav! Take the review! Please take it! Listen to me!)
Seeing Aarav definitively shaking his head and refusing to make the 'T' signal, Kuldeep lost his mind. In a moment of pure, unfiltered, highly comical desperation, Kuldeep literally lunged forward, grabbed both of Aarav's forearms, and tried to physically force Aarav's hands to form the 'T' sign for the DRS!
Aarav burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, easily resisting Kuldeep's attempt to use his arms like a puppet. "KD, stop it!" Aarav wheezed, pushing the spinner off him, clapping him on the back. "I am not wasting a review because you are having a panic attack! Get back to your mark!"
Behind the stumps, Klaasen was bent over, laughing into his gloves. At extra cover, Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma were in stitches, pointing at Kuldeep. Even Rinku Singh in the deep was chuckling.
Aakash Chopra (Laughing hysterically on air): "I do not believe what I am seeing! Kuldeep Yadav is trying to hijack the captain's hands to take a review! He is literally trying to force Aarav to make the 'T' signal! This is peak gully cricket behavior in an IPL Final!"
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "KD is borrowing and trying to steal a review! But the Seth is not moving! Oh, what brilliant banter! The tension of the final breaks into absolute comedy!"
The replay flashed on the giant screen a few seconds later, clearly showing a massive inside edge onto Dube's pad. Aarav pointed at the screen, raising an eyebrow at Kuldeep. Kuldeep sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and walked back to his run-up.
Ball 2: Kuldeep, slightly embarrassed, bowled it flat on the pads again. Dube tucked it to fine leg. 1 Run.
Ball 3: Ruturaj Gaikwad on strike. The ice-man remained completely unbothered by the previous ball's comedy. Kuldeep tossed it up on the middle stump. Ruturaj gave himself a fraction of room, stepping away to the leg side, and beautifully lifted it inside-out over extra cover. The timing was so pure it sounded like a whip crack. The ball sailed majestically into the stands. SIX!
Aarav, realizing the aggressive intent of the batters, immediately took off his cap. The slip was a luxury they could no longer afford. "I'm moving out," Aarav signaled to Kuldeep, repositioning himself to a saving position at mid-off to cut off the straight drives.
Ball 4: Kuldeep bowled it slightly quicker and wider. Ruturaj waited for it, opened the face of his bat at the very last microsecond, and played a delicate late cut. The ball raced towards short third man. Abhishek Sharma dived to his right, got a hand to it, but the ball burst through his fingers and trickled into the boundary rope. FOUR.
Aarav looked at Abhishek, raising an eyebrow, but didn't yell. He just clapped his hands once. "Come on, Abhi. Focus."
Ball 5: Ruturaj pushed a length ball to deep point. 1 Run.
Ball 6: Dube leaned forward and drove a fuller delivery to long-off. 1 Run.
End of Over 8.Score: CSK 108/2. Runs from Over: 13.
Gaurav Kapur: "Another massive over! 13 runs off it! The Chennai Super Kings are absolutely flying here! From the comedy of Kuldeep's review attempt to the sheer class of Ruturaj Gaikwad, this game has it all! They have breached the 100-run mark in just the 8th over! Aarav Pathak has moved himself out of the slips because he knows... this is a counter-attack of the highest order!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The required run rate was hovering ominously around 13.28 runs per over. 93 runs were needed from the final 42 deliveries. The game was perched on the edge of a knife. Chennai had momentum from the previous overs, but Gujarat had the scoreboard pressure.
Aarav Pathak knew that spin was becoming risky with the dew setting in and Shivam Dube's massive reach taking Kuldeep out of the equation. Aarav looked around the field, pulled his cap tight, and signaled to his Irish left-arm speedster, Joshua Little.
Gaurav Kapur: "We are into the 9th over of this 15-over sprint. The spinners have been taken off. Aarav Pathak brings back Joshua Little. The left-arm angle is going to be crucial here against Shivam Dube. Little has pace, he has the heavy ball, and India desperately needs a quiet over."
Aakash Chopra: "It's a very smart move by the captain. Dube loves the spinners, but against a left-arm pacer angling the ball across him or banging it short into his ribs, he often struggles to get that clean bat swing. Let's see if Little can execute the plan."
Over 9: Joshua Little to Shivam Dube
Ball 1: Joshua Little steamed in from over the wicket. He hit the deck exceptionally hard, bowling a back-of-a-length delivery aimed right at Dube's ribcage at 142 kmph. Dube, standing tall, tried to muscle a pull shot over mid-wicket but was cramped for room. The ball skidded off the surface and thudded into his thigh pad, rolling to the off-side. Dot.
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "Oye Guru! Loha garam hai, par hathoda sahi jagah maarna padega! (The iron is hot, but you have to strike it in the right place!). Joshua Little hits the perfect length! Dube had no room to free those massive arms. A dot ball in a chase like this is worth its weight in gold!"
Ball 2: Little, sticking to the plan, bowled slightly wider this time but maintained the hard length. Dube realized the boundary was not on. He opened the face of the bat and dabbed it sensibly towards deep backward point. They jogged a comfortable single. 1 Run.
Ball 3: Ruturaj Gaikwad was back on strike. He was batting on 48 off 23 balls, looking completely unfazed by the roaring crowd or the mounting required rate. Joshua Little, trying to surprise the right-hander, decided to pitch it up, searching for a yorker on the off-stump. He missed his length by an inch. It became a half-volley.
Ruturaj didn't slog. He just cleared his front leg, maintained an impossibly still head, and extended his arms into a picturesque, lofted drive. The ball sailed majestically through the Ahmedabad night sky, tracing a perfect parabola over long-off. It crashed into the advertising cushions right in front of the cheering yellow army. SIX!
Gaurav Kapur (Voice booming): "UP, UP, AND AWAY! What a glorious shot to bring up a half-century in the IPL Final! Ruturaj Gaikwad, you absolute beauty! 54 off 24 balls! He has been the glue, the anchor, and the aggressor all rolled into one tonight!"
Navjot Singh Sidhu (Standing up in the comm box): "Taaliyan bajti rehni chahiye! (The applause shouldn't stop!). Arre, isne toh hawa mein painting bana di! (He has drawn a painting in the air!). What elegance! What class! The boy has ice in his veins, and he is keeping Chennai Super Kings breathing in this colossal chase!"
Gaikwad simply raised his bat, offering a slight, composed smile to his dugout. MS Dhoni, sitting calmly, applauded gently.
Ball 4: Joshua Little, visibly frustrated by the majestic six, pulled his length back immediately, bowling it on the fourth stump line. Gaikwad, showing his immense game awareness, didn't try to force another boundary. He played it late, dropping it softly towards third man. 1 Run.
Ball 5: Dube on strike. Little went for the blockhole, spearing a 144 kmph yorker at the toes. Dube brought his heavy bat down just in time, squeezing it out towards mid-on. Aarav Pathak swooped in quickly, but the batters had already crossed. 1 Run.
Ball 6: Last ball of the over. Gaikwad on strike. Little bowled an off-cutter into the pitch. Gaikwad waited for the slower pace, rocked onto his back foot, and punched it to deep cover. He easily jogged the single, ensuring he kept the strike for the next over. 1 Run.
End of Over 9.Score: CSK 118/2. Runs from Over: 10.
As the umpires signaled the end of the 9th over, the giant LED screens flashed the updated, ultra-detailed statistics for the massive crowd.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: 118/2 (9.0 Overs)
Target: 201 Runs Runs Required: 83 Runs Balls Remaining: 36 Balls Required Run Rate: 13.83 RPO
Ruturaj Gaikwad:56*(26 balls) — [4x4, 4x6] — Strike Rate: 215.38
Shivam Dube:20*(11 balls) — [1x4, 1x6] — Strike Rate: 181.81
Gaurav Kapur: "10 runs from the over. A very disciplined effort from Joshua Little, barring that one half-volley that went the distance. At the end of the 9th over, CSK are 118 for 2. They need exactly 83 runs from the final 6 overs."
Aakash Chopra: "The math is simple now, Gaurav. It's nearly 14 runs an over. They need at least two boundaries every single over from here on out. Ruturaj Gaikwad is playing a blinder, but Shivam Dube needs to find his timing against the pacers. He is on 20 off 11, but the big hits haven't flowed consistently yet."
Navjot Singh Sidhu: "The pot is boiling! The pressure is cooking! Aarav Pathak has 6 overs left to defend his fortress, and MS Dhoni's men have 36 balls to break the door down! Bhaiyon aur behno, apni seatbelt baandh lijiye, flight abhi take-off karne wali hai! (Brothers and sisters, fasten your seatbelts, the flight is about to take off!)."
Aarav took his cap from the umpire, his jaw locked tight. He signaled for Arshdeep Singh to warm up. The spin gamble has to wait; it was time for raw pace and death-bowling precision to decide the fate of the TATA IPL 2023 Trophy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How's the Final till now?
Who do you think would win??
Is it going slow? are you finding it interesting?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note: - 5600+ Words
For More Future Chapters: -
My Patreon: -
https://www.patreon.com/c/Kynstra
Thank you very much for all the support and donate power stones!!
Do Comment, anything just comments and Donate Power stone!!
If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! Your feedback means so much. And feel free to comment on where you think the story should go next—I'd love to hear your thoughts on the future direction!