Cricketers

How They Met • ICT

"And then I met you"

~~~~

~ Hardik Pandya: At a Charity Gala

Hardik had always been the kind of person who commanded attention, he was confident enough to know that. But that night at the gala, he was the one who couldn't stop glancing across the room. She seemed like a mystery-there was a type of quiet confidence surrounding her as she moved through the crowd, engaging people in polite conversation but never lingering too long.

When she drifted towards the silent auction table, he saw his chance. Hardik slid up beside her with his signature playful grin as she looked over a signed cricket bat.

"Thinking of adding that to your collection?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She turned, blinking at him with a small, surprised smile. "Mhmm, I'm planning on winning it." Her voice was soft but sure, and he could tell right away she wasn't about to fawn over him. With a smirk, he replied, "In that case, maybe I should make it my mission to outbid you."

The two of them spent the next few minutes trading bids, each one pushing the other a little higher. When the final call came, she won. Just by just a few thousand rupees. Hardik chuckled, shaking his head. "Guess you beat me."

She laughed, a little triumphant but gracious. "I guess I did."

Intrigued by her confidence and composure, he asked if she'd join him for a drink. They spent the rest of the evening in easy conversation, her unaffected charm holding his attention like no one had in a long time. By the end of the night, he knew he wanted to see her again, not just for the thrill of the game but because something about her felt different, grounding in the best way possible.

Because that night was the first time ever he had purposefully lost at something.

~ KL Rahul: In a Quiet Café in Bangalore

It was a rare rainy afternoon in Bangalore, and KL Rahul had just found a quiet corner of a small café, hoping for a few peaceful hours. He had his coffee, a book, and the comforting hum of the city outside to keep him company. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her.

She was sitting by the window, completely lost in a thick, well-loved novel, her fingers tracing the worn edges of the pages as she read. There was something so calming about her focus that he found himself looking her way more than once. She didn't seem to notice anyone around her, her world was contained in the words on the page.

When the waiter accidentally knocked over her coffee, splashing her hand slightly, she jumped, her book slipping from her lap. Instinctively, Rahul was on his feet, grabbing napkins and offering to help. She looked up, a little flustered, and muttered a soft "thank you" before realizing who was standing in front of her. Her eyes widened briefly, and he could see she was trying to hold back a smile.

"Are you...? I mean, aren't you...?" she stammered, unsure how to finish.

He laughed, brushing it off with a casual, "Only when I'm not busy rescuing people from spilt coffee disasters."

They both laughed, and she relaxed a little, telling him about the book she was reading. He asked questions, genuinely curious, and she lit up, talking passionately about the story. By the time they'd both finished their coffees, hours had passed and it felt like they'd known each other much longer.

When he finally asked for her number, it was with a smile that matched her own. There was something about her-a peacefulness, a warmth-that had captured him in a way he hadn't expected that day.