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On the 15th of November, the atmosphere at the stadium was electric. The semi-finals of the World Cup against New Zealand had begun, and the excitement was palpable.
India had won the toss and decided to bat first, with the team, particularly Shubman, looking confident despite the earlier injury scare.
The noise from the crowd, the colour of the flags, the drums—everything was a blur to Naima, who was laser-focused on the task ahead.
Rohit and Shubman had opened the innings, and while they got off to a steady start, the tension was building.
Shubman, after hitting a few solid shots, suddenly stopped, clutching his hamstring. The entire stadium went silent as the medical team rushed onto the field.
Naima's heart raced, but she forced herself to stay calm. He had to be okay—he had to be okay.
"Fucking hell," Shubman muttered under his breath, grimacing as he was helped off the field.
"Shubman, don't worry, we'll get this. Just rest up," Naima shouted as he was escorted off the pitch, but there was an edge of panic in her voice.
She tried to mask it with her usual sharp focus, but the nagging worry didn't disappear. It wasn't just the team's loss if he couldn't continue—it was hers as well.
Rohit, playing solidly, was dismissed for 47 runs, and the crowd grew louder. Naima's eyes flicked toward Shubman's place on the bench.
He was pacing nervously, biting his lip, his brow furrowed. She swallowed hard but refocused as she joined Virat in the middle, ready for whatever the match threw her way.
The match progressed quickly, and Virat was playing with his usual elegance. He was in control, guiding India towards a large total. With each stroke, his confidence grew, and it was obvious that he was playing with a purpose.
The ball came flying toward him, and with a flick of his wrist, Virat sent it sailing to the boundary. The crowd erupted, and there was no mistaking the emotion in his eyes. His bat raised high, a salute to the moment.
"Fifty! FIFTY!!" screamed the commentator as the stadium erupted in joy. Virat stood tall in the middle of the pitch, removing his helmet and giving a flying kiss towards the stands, directly at his wife, Anushka Sharma, who was cheering from the sidelines.
