Unknown To Known

Welcome to Twenty20

Aditi's mood lit up when her phone buzzed. Ishan's name flashed on the screen. Her heart skipped a beat as she answered.

"Hey." Ishan said, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine.

"Hello." Aditi replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

And their conversation began. Aditi's voice bubbled with excitement as she spoke to Ishan. "I am so nervous. The contest is just around the corner."

Ishan's calm tone soothed her. "You'll do great! You've worked hard."

Aditi smiled and said. "I have invited you to the contest. I really want you to be there."

Ishan's pause made Aditi's heart race. "I would love to be there, but..."

"But? What is it?" Aditi asked, concern creeping in.

"The IPL starts soon, and I have a match on the day of your finals." Ishan explained.

Aditi's face fell, but she quickly rallied. "It's okay! I understand. Your match is important."

Ishan's voice filled with empathy. "I'll be cheering for you anyways, and we will celebrate afterwards. Deal?"

Aditi smiled hopefully. "Deal!"

                      
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IPL 2018.

The sun shone over the cricket stadium with a glow over the lush green field. The air was filled with chatters of the fans, as today marked the start of the IPL and Ishan's debut with his new team, Mumbai Indians.

Ishan stood confidently alongside his teammates, donning the iconic blue and gold jersey with his name and number emblazoned on the back. His heart pounded with excitement but his focus remained.

As the opening batsman, he took to the crease, the opposition's bowler eyed him. The first ball hurtled towards him and with a swift swing of his bat, Ishan sent it to the covers of the boundary. The crowd erupted and his teammates cheered.

Ishan's determination shone brighter than the sun. His feet moved swiftly between wickets. He pulled boundaries with elegant drives and sprinted with his partner.

—

Aditi, oblivious to the match's start, relaxed in her hotel room, flipping through the pages of a magazine. Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a notification from a news app. "Ishan's debut match underway."

She mentally slapped herself in realisation, laughing. "How could I forget?"

With a calm smile, she turned on the TV and navigated to the sports channel in which the match was telecasting. The screen lit, showing Ishan carefully observing the opponent's bowling attack.

"Wow! He is on fire." Aditi exclaimed, eyes glued to the screen.

As the innings progressed, Ishan's batting shone. It came to an end as he got clean-bowled. The crowd applauded his performance and cheered him up.

44 runs off 23 balls. As he walked back to the pavilion, his teammates greeted him with smiles and pats on his back. "Well played!" Rohit exclaimed and Ishan smiled humbly.

When his team's innings ended, they had amassed 178 runs.

The opposite team began their innings and donned the wicketkeeper gloves. His quick reflexes and sharp instincts stunned everyone. Aditi watched, mesmerized as Ishan's skills unfolded. She couldn't help but cheer him on.