As Ishan walked off the field, the weight of his bat felt heavier than usual. Scoring just 23 runs in the IPL match between his team and KXIP felt bitter. He walked to the dugout, trying to shake off the disappointment. The sound of cheers from the crowd faded as he entered the dressing room.
In the dressing room, he took off his damp jersey and tossed it aside. He then reached for his phone, hoping to find a distraction from the game that hadn't gone his way. As Ishan scrolled through his social media feed, his heart sank. Fans were quick to troll him for getting out too soon. Comments flooded in, mocking his performance and questioning him. He felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him and he considered putting his phone down.
But then, a notification caught his eye. Miss Supranational was live. Curiosity piqued, Ishan clicked on the stream and suddenly the room was filled with the sound of cheers and applause. There she was, Aditi, confident and beaming under the spotlight, walking with grace. It was a moment of pure happiness and he felt a rush of pride wash over him.
As Ishan continued to watch the live stream, the energy of the event swept away the frustration from the match and the recent tiff with her. He found himself captivated by her personality and how she engaged with the audience.
But just then, he was getting lost in the moment, a thought crept his mind. He had promised himself that he would analyze the remaining match, to observe the players' skills. It weighed heavily on him, pulling him back from the moment of her finale.
Ishan sighed, glancing at the clock on his phone. Time was slipping away and the match was still ongoing. The thought of missing out crucial moments of the match made his heart race. He could hear the crack of the bat, the shouts of the crowd and encouragement from others.
He made a decision. He would have to leave the live stream at least for now. But he reminded himself that supporting her didn't mean neglecting his own responsibilities. He took a deep breath and put aside his personal feelings and focus on the game, analyze the players and learn from the experiences.
As he went outside to join the others, Ishan narrowly avoided the wrath of the coaches and his captain, Rohit. He could almost imagine the scoldings he would've gotten if he had missed out joining them in a dugout.
As the match progressed, the atmosphere grew electric with anticipation. The scorecard read 224/6 with just 15 runs needed off the last 8 balls. Fans were on the edge of their seats, eyes glued to the field. The pressure was felt hanging in the air.
The batsmen at the crease exchanged glances, their mind racing. Each ball felt like a clock. As the first ball was bowled, the crack of the bat against the ball echoed like thunder. With each run scored, the partnership between the batsmen grew stronger.
Finally, as the last ball approached, the partnership had turned the table. With a swing, the ball soared through the boundary and the crowd cheered. This victory propelled them into 5th position on the point table. The joy and relief washed over everyone.
The match ended and Ishan rushed to the dressing room, eager to catch the remaining stream. The atmosphere was charged with excitement as he took his phone and watched the last moments of the stream.
When the moment finally arrived, Ishan focused, his eyes glued to the screen. The emcee's voice boomed as they began to announce the winners and he could feel the tension. His gaze fell upon her face which appeared on the screen and he noticed the nervousness etched across Aditi's face. In that instant, a wave of emotion washed over him. It didn't matter if she won or lost, she had shown incredible performance.
Just as th announcement started, Ishan crossed his fingers tightly, whispering to himself. "Please, her name, her name." His heart raced. The judges began to read the names and with each passing second, his hope surged but it was met with disappointment when her name wasn't called.
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Unknown To Known
FanficAn online encounter brings together Ishan Kishan, a cricketer and Aditi Hundia, a model-turned-entrepreneur. Dive into the story to know more!