Awakening Hearts

Chapter 16

It was match day, and the air was thick with excitement and nerves. India was set to clash with New Zealand in a much-anticipated cricket match. In the VIP stands, Kiara, Ritika, and Samaira sat with bated breath, their eyes glued to the field. "Can you believe it? India vs. New Zealand! This is going to be epic!" Ritika exclaimed, her voice trembling with anticipation.

Kiara nodded, her eyes scanning the field. "Yeah, I just hope we get a good start."Out on the pitch, the captains met for the toss. Rohit Sharma and Tom Latham exchanged a firm handshake before Rohit flipped the coin high into the air. The stadium fell silent for a moment, every eye following the coin's descent. "Heads it is," the umpire announced, and a roar erupted from the Indian fans.

Rohit grinned and announced, "We'll bat first."Back in the dressing room, Rohit addressed his team. "Alright, boys. We're batting. Shubman, pad up."

Shubman nodded, a determined look in his eyes. "Got it, bhai."As Rohit and Shubman walked onto the field, Shubman glanced towards the VIP stands. Kiara caught his eye and smiled, giving him a confident nod. Shubman returned the smile, feeling a surge of motivation.

The game began well for India. Rohit and Shubman played with focus and skill, bringing the score to 60 without loss. Rohit had already made 34 runs when Blair Tickner bowled a delivery that Rohit tried to loft over the infield. The ball soared high but didn't go far enough. Daryl Mitchell positioned himself under it and caught it cleanly. The score was now 60 for 1.

Kiara sighed. "Well, it's a good start. We just need to keep this momentum going."

Next came Virat Kohli, greeted by a roar from the crowd. He and Shubman steadied the ship, taking the score to 88 before Virat was bowled by Mitchell Santner, adding just 8 runs to his name. The scoreboard read 88 for 2.

Ishan Kishan was next. He and Shubman worked diligently, taking the score to 110. But then, Lockie Ferguson's pace proved too much for Ishan, who skied a ball to Tom Latham. Ishan walked back with only 5 runs. The score was 110 for 3.

Suryakumar Yadav walked in with determination. He and Shubman built a solid partnership, bringing the score to 175. Suryakumar played some beautiful shots but eventually fell to Daryl Mitchell's bowling, caught by Mitchell Santner after scoring 31 runs. The score was now 175 for 4.

"Come on, Shubman. Hold the fort," Kiara whispered, her hands clenched tightly.

Hardik Pandya was next, and he partnered well with Shubman. Together, they took the score to 249 before Hardik was bowled by Mitchell, having contributed 28 runs. The score stood at 249 for 5.

Washington Sundar then joined Shubman, and they pushed the score to 292. Washington added 12 runs before being dismissed lbw by Henry Shipley. The scoreboard showed 292 for 6.

Shubman was on fire. His performance was met with thunderous applause as he reached a double century. Kiara stood up, clapping and cheering loudly, filled with pride as Shubman acknowledged the crowd with his signature bow.

Shardul Thakur came in next. He and Shubman added another 10 runs, but Shardul was run out by Mitchell Santner for just 3 runs. The score was 302 for 7.

Kuldeep Yadav joined Shubman, and together they pushed the score to 345. Shubman had scored a monumental 208 runs. But then, Henry Shipley bowled a delivery that Shubman misjudged, and Glenn Phillips took the catch. Shubman walked back to the stands to a standing ovation, his team and fans acknowledging his incredible contribution."That was just brilliant," Ritika said, her voice filled with admiration.

India finished their innings at 349 for 8 after 50 overs, with contributions from Mohammad Shami and Kuldeep Yadav.

After a short break, the New Zealand openers, Finn Allen and Devon Conway, stepped onto the field. They started cautiously but soon found their rhythm, scoring 28 runs before Conway was caught by Kuldeep off Siraj's bowling. The score was 28 for 1.