Endings aren't always happy ! ( A ShubSara love story)

Ep 10 :- The full circle

Just wanted to tell you this is the last chapter of the story , so please do Inline comments and also let me know if you liked this story.....

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"Once this World Cup ends, I'm thinking about retirement from cricket."

Shubman's words left Sachin stunned, his silence palpable.

"Have you lost your mind, Shub? Why would you even consider this?" Sachin asked, disbelief etched on his face.

Shubman's gaze was unwavering. "I love my Sana more than I love cricket. She's my priority now."

Sachin's expression turned persuasive. "But Shub, you're just 32! You have plenty of time left in your career. Your fitness level is exceptional; you can easily play until you're 40!"

Shubman's voice was laced with conviction. "It's not about age, Baba . It's about being there for Sana. With the World Cup in India, I could play knowing she was safe with all of you. But I can't bear to be away from her for extended periods. Who will take care of her when I'm on tours or test matches? You, of all people, understand the struggle of being away from your child. You had Anjali maa to rely on, but I don't have Sara here to care for Sana. I promised her I'd be there for our daughter, no matter whatever it takes. And that 'whatever' has become cricket."

Sachin stood frozen, tears welling up in his eyes as memories of his own daughter flooded back. Without a word, he turned and left the room, the weight of Shubman's words hanging heavy in the air.

In the bustling training area of Wankhede Stadium, the sun cast a warm glow at 4:00 pm on the eve of the WC Finals.

Amidst the throng of media personnel and players, Karan, the familiar interviewer, ( If you don't remember go read episode 3 again ) approached Shubman, who was intently preparing his bats.

Karan extended a friendly greeting,

"Hello, Skip! We meet again!"

Shubman looked up, a soft smile spreading across his face. "Ah, yes! We do."

Karan's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "So, all prepared for tomorrow's grand finale?"

Shubman's confidence was palpable. "Yes, I feel we are, we've worked hard and we're ready."

"That's great to hear!" Karan nodded encouragingly. "You know, I recall your promise last time we spoke - that you'd be playing the WC final here at Wankhede. You've fulfilled that promise, congratulations! You're a man of your words."

Shubman's expression turned bittersweet. "I also promised my wife, Sara, that she'd be here cheering for me and the team in the finals... but life had other plans."

Karan's tone turned sympathetic. "My condolences, Skip, for your loss. It was beyond your control."

Shubman hummed a gentle acknowledgement, his eyes momentarily clouding over. The two continued their conversation for a while before Shubman was finally free to join his teammates, his focus shifting back to the exciting challenge ahead.

The atmosphere was electric at Wankhede Stadium as India faced off against their opponents in the WC Finals!

Before entering the field , Shubman's mind drifted back to the precious words of Sara which she said to him when she was alive , when Shubman won the finals 8 years ago

"Shubman, I believe in you. You are the best in this game. You have the talent, the dedication, and the heart of a champion. You will win this, I'll be praying for your win today. Don't worry, everything will be okay."