The third match of the zonal championship was set to unfold in Bijnor Stadium, Western UP's home ground. The early March sun cast a golden hue across the pitch, and the air was dry with a faint breeze—ideal conditions for cricket, and especially for batting.
As the teams arrived, the ground buzzed with quiet anticipation. The stands were beginning to fill with local supporters, school kids waving flags, and a few district selectors seated under the shade of the commentary box.
The fixture: Western UP vs Terai Region.
The captains—Nikhil Srivatam for Western UP and Harshdeep Singh for Terai—walked out to inspect the pitch before the toss.
Reading the Surface
Nikhil knelt near the crease, ran his fingers across the surface, and tapped it with Veer.
Hard. Dry. Even bounce.
He didn't need confirmation.
"This is a batting pitch," he said quietly to Coach Devraj, who nodded in agreement.
Harshdeep, meanwhile, was deep in discussion with his bowling coach, pointing at the cracks near the good length area. He was hoping for early movement.
But Nikhil had already made up his mind.
If he won the toss, he would bat.
The Toss
At 9:00 AM sharp, the captains met at the center.
The coin went up.
"Nikhil Srivatam wins the toss," the umpire announced.
Without hesitation, Nikhil said, "We'll bat first."
Harshdeep nodded. "All the best."
Nikhil turned to his team and said, "Let's build. Let's dominate."
First Innings – A Rocky Start
Western UP's openers—Mahesh Yadav and Ravi Chauhan—walked out with confidence. But the Terai Region bowlers had other plans.
In the third over, Mahesh misjudged a slower ball and was caught at mid-off. Ravi edged a sharp outswinger to slip in the sixth. By the 10th over, Western UP was 48 for 2.
The middle order tried to stabilize, but Terai's bowlers kept the pressure tight. Two more wickets fell in quick succession—both to Harshdeep's tactical field placements.
At 124 for 4 in the 20th over, Nikhil Srivatam walked in at No. 5.
The crowd leaned forward.
The dressing room fell silent.
The Captain's Knock
Nikhil took his time.
Five balls. No risks. Just soft hands and sharp eyes.
Then he began.
A flick past midwicket. A lofted drive over extra cover. A late cut that kissed the boundary rope.
He wasn't just scoring.
He was orchestrating.
The fielders couldn't read him. The bowlers couldn't settle. Every over had a different rhythm. Every shot had a different message.
At the other end, Siddharth Rawal played the perfect foil—anchoring the innings, rotating strike, and letting Nikhil dictate the tempo.
Together, they stitched a 113-run partnership in the final 15 overs.
Nikhil's innings was a blend of aggression and elegance—87 runs off 56 balls, unbeaten.
Western UP finished at 237 for 4 in 35 overs.
The crowd erupted.
But Nikhil didn't raise his bat.
He just walked off, nodding to Siddharth, and whispered, "Job half done."
Second Innings – Bowling Carnage
Nikhil gathered his bowlers in a tight huddle.
"This pitch is flat," he said. "But if we bowl full and straight, they'll have to take risks. Let's make them earn every run."
He handed the new ball to Ritesh Yadav and Imran Khan.
The fire began.
Ritesh struck in the second over—clean bowled. Imran followed with a double-wicket maiden in the fifth. Manav Singh, the leg-spinner, came on in the 12th and spun a web around the middle order.
Terai Region was reeling at 89 for 6 by the 20th over.
Nikhil brought himself on in the 22nd.
He bowled with control, using subtle variations in pace and length.
In his third over, he got Harshdeep Singh—caught behind trying to cut a ball that wasn't short enough.
Two overs later, he bowled a tailender with a delivery that dipped late and crashed into middle stump.
Nikhil finished with 2 wickets, and the bowling unit wrapped up the innings in the 30.1 over.
Terai Region was all out for 142.
Western UP won by 95 runs.
The Aftermath
The team walked off the field to cheers and applause.
Coach Devraj clapped slowly from the boundary. "That's how you lead," he said.
Nikhil didn't smile.
He just nodded, walked to Harshdeep, and shook his hand.
"Good fight," he said.
Harshdeep replied, "Your innings changed the game. We couldn't recover."
Reflections
That night, Nikhil sat alone on the pavilion steps, Veer beside him.
He replayed the innings in his mind—not the boundaries, but the decisions.
When to accelerate. When to hold back. When to rotate bowlers. When to bowl himself.
Leadership wasn't about being loud.
It was about being clear.
And today, he had been both.