Location: HPS Ground, Begumpet.
The heat was shimmering off the pitch. The lush green outfield was silent, except for the chirping of the HPS fielders who were clapping their hands rhythmically.
"One good ball, Rohan! Just one good ball!"
Sai leaned on his bat at the striker's end. His chest was heaving. His 10-year-old legs felt like lead pipes. The adrenaline was the only thing keeping him standing.
He looked at the digital scoreboard (a luxury St. Ann's didn't have).
MATCH SUMMARY - LAST OVER
St. Ann's High School: 125/6 (19 Overs) Target: 145 Equation: 20 Runs needed off 6 Balls.
Batters:
Sai Krishna: 42* (34 balls) — [Fatigue: High]
Venu: 1* (1 ball) — [Panic Level: Max]
Bowler:
Rohan (Captain): 3-0-18-1 — [Style: Medium Pace / Right Arm Over]
Rohan stood at the top of his run-up. He brushed his hair back. He looked confident. Defending 20 runs in the last over against a tailender and a tired kid was usually a guaranteed win.
Ball 1: Rohan decided to keep it simple. A length ball outside off. "Hit me if you can."
Sai saw the line. He expects me to swing blindly. Sai didn't swing across the line. He stepped out—charging the bowler to turn the length ball into a full toss. He made room and lofted it inside-out over Extra Cover.
[CLICK] Timing: Sweet.
The ball sailed over the infield. It didn't have the power to go for six, but it plugged into the gap and rolled. FOUR Runs.
"Shit!" Rohan kicked the turf. Equation: 16 off 5.
Ball 2: Rohan tightened up. He aimed for the body. Cramping Sai for room. Sai couldn't free his arms. He hopped and tucked it to Deep Square Leg. It was a single, but he pushed Venu. "Two! Two!"
Venu ran as if a dog was chasing him. They scrambled back for the second. Two Runs. Equation: 14 off 4.
Ball 3: Rohan smirked. 14 off 4. I just need a dot ball. He bowled a slower ball. An off-cutter. Sai read the hand. He saw the fingers roll over the ball. Wait for it.
He waited an eternity. The ball arrived sluggishly. Sai swatted it—a flat-batted tennis shot—straight back past the bowler. The Long-Off fielder ran around. He fumbled slightly. Sai saw the fumble. "Run two!"
But Venu slipped at the non-striker's end. "Ledu! Ledu!" Venu screamed. (No! No!) They settled for a single. Wait... No! The fielder threw to the wrong end! "Overthrow! Run!"
They stole the second run on the overthrow. Two Runs. Equation: 12 off 3.
Ball 4: Pressure was mounting on Rohan. 12 off 3 is 4 runs per ball. He tried the yorker. He missed. Full toss on the pads.
Gift.
Sai's eyes widened. He flicked his wrists. The ball rocketed to the fine-leg boundary. The fielder dived... and missed. FOUR Runs.
Equation: 8 off 2.
The HPS dugout went silent. The St. Ann's boys were screaming, banging their plastic chairs. Gopal Sir was standing near the boundary rope, his sunglasses off, eyes wide.
Ball 5: Rohan looked rattled. He had a discussion with his keeper. Field change: They moved Third Man back. They moved Long On back. He is going to bowl short.
Rohan ran in. He banged it in short. Sai was ready. He couldn't hook it for six. He did the "Uppercut." He used the pace and guided it over the keeper's head.
It flew... It landed just inside the ropes. The ball plugged in the turf. "Run!"
They ran one. They ran two. The fielder threw the ball. Sai dived for the third run? No. Too risky.
Wait... The ball touched the rope! The Umpire signaled. FOUR Runs.
Equation: 4 Runs needed off 1 Ball.
The Final Ball
The noise was deafening. Even the HPS students were watching now. Rohan walked back to his mark very slowly. He stopped to tie his shoelace. Mind games.
Sai stood at the crease. He was dizzy. His arms were trembling. [DISSONANCE] was buzzing in his forearms like a swarm of bees. System Alert: Energy Critical. Muscle Failure Imminent.
He looked at the field. Rohan had pushed everyone back. Deep Point, Long Off, Long On, Deep Mid-wicket, Deep Square Leg. He was giving the single. He was protecting the boundary.
If I hit it in the air, I get caught. If I hit it along the ground to a fielder, it's only 1 or 2 runs. We lose.
I need to pierce the field. Where is the gap?
Sai scanned the 360-degree view. There was no gap... except one. Straight down the ground. But Rohan (the bowler) was standing there. And the umpire.
I have to hit it so straight that it misses the bowler but doesn't hit the stumps.
Rohan ran in. The final delivery. He didn't bowl a yorker. He bowled a good length ball, angling away. The "Safety Ball." Hard to hit for six.
Sai didn't try to hit a six. He cleared his mind. He went back to the balcony. The sock. The hanging ball.
He moved his front foot slightly. He presented the full face of the bat. He didn't swing hard. He punched. A pure, technical Straight Drive.
[RESONANCE]
THOCK.
The sound was like a gunshot. The ball sped along the ground like a laser beam. It passed Rohan's right ankle by two inches. Rohan tried to stick his foot out, but he was too slow.
The Long-Off fielder and Long-On fielder both sprinted towards the middle. They were converging. The ball was racing on the lush green grass.
Sai stood in his follow-through. Go. Go. Go.
The ball beat the Long-Off fielder's dive. It hit the boundary rope with a soft thud.
FOUR.
St. Ann's Wins by 4 Wickets.
1:00 PM
Sai didn't jump. He didn't scream. He just dropped his bat and fell to his knees. He was completely spent.
Venu ran over and tackled him in a hug. "Gelichestinam ra! Sai! We won!" (We won!)
The rest of the team flooded the ground. Aditya lifted Sai up (which was easy, because Sai weighed nothing). "Arey, Hero! What a match!"
Sai smiled weakly. His vision was blurry. He looked towards the pavilion.
Gopal Sir was standing there. He wasn't cheering. He was writing in his notebook. He looked up, caught Sai's eye, and gave a single, firm nod. Respect.
As the team carried him off the field, Sai looked at his hands. They were blistered. The neon orange grip was stained dark with sweat and red leather marks.
2008, Sai thought, closing his eyes. Not a bad start.
Epilogue to the Match:
Later, in the handshake line, Rohan (the HPS Captain) stopped in front of Sai. He looked at the small boy in the oversized kit.
"You have good technique," Rohan said, his ego bruised but intact. "Do you play for any club?"
"No," Sai said. "Just school."
Rohan frowned. "You should join the HCA leagues. My dad is a selector. I'll tell him about you."
Sai froze. HCA. Hyderabad Cricket Association. The gateway to the Ranji Trophy. The gateway to the IPL.
"Thanks, Anna," Sai said.
Rohan walked away. Karthik nudged Sai. "Oye! Selector's son! Did you hear that?"
Sai picked up his blue Aristocrat travel bag. "Padha ra. Let's go home," Sai said. "I need to eat five eggs."