The extremely unfair IPL schedule

Chapter 2

Patience always pays. Doesn't it? thought Virat as the clock slowly ticked forward towards 10th October.

"Look, Virat bhaiya," complained Yuzi. "Even Kuldeep has sent me ten pictures of him with Mahi bhai..."

Virat wanted to ignore the phone Yuzi was holding up in front of his eyes, but he couldn't hold out.

"I miss Kuliya too," said Virat wistfully.

"Yeah, well," said Yuzi heroically. "KKR and RCB's last matches of the first phase are with each other..."

"CSK and KKR are our last two matches," groaned Virat. "Isn't it awful? Mahi bhai, Jad and Kul."

"Do not call him Kul, please," warned Yuzi with dignity.

Virat rolled his eyes. "Fine, Kuliya, then. But CSK and KKR both..." he began again.

"You'd have said the same if they'd been KXIP and MI," said Yuzi snidely. "Rahuliya and Rohit bhaiya both. Jassi and Hardik both."

"Point," conceded Virat. He glanced at the watch YET again.

"Less than eight hours left."

______________

Waves and waves of happiness overwhelmed Virat when he finally caught sight of Mahi bahi striding in with his team.

He exchanged an excited glance with Yuzi and both of them bolted.

"MAHI BHAI!"

Suddenly Mahi was overpowered with two red-clad bodies throwing themselves at him simultaneously.

"I MISSED YOU, MAHI BHAI!" shouted Yuzi.

"I MISSED YOU MORE THAN HE DID!" yelled Virat.

"Did anyone miss me at all?" asked Jaddu politely.

"No, we didn't," said Virat. "Shut up now."

Jaddu obligingly shut up.

"Do you know Mahi bhai I read somewhere that if you've been with two people you should always choose the second because if you really loved the first one you would never have fallen in love with the second one at all!" said Virat, all in one breath.

"That," said Mahi drily. "is the worst analogy I have ever heard in my life, Cheeku."

Virat's face fell. Clearly he had been harbouring under the delusion that he'd thought up something REALLY clever.

"But it's true the lasts are always special, right?" he said hopefully.

"So are the firsts," said Yuzi snidely, standing up for his Rohitaaa bhaiya just to cause trouble.

"Lasts are better," said Virat with tremendous conviction.

"And when next year the opening match will be RCB-CSK, the firsts will become better," agreed Mahi.

"Yes," said Virat, beaming. Then the grin slid off his face as he noticed Mahi bhai and Yuzi and Jaddu's grins. "Huh," he said disparagingly. "Lasts are always the best."

"Sure," said Jaddu smoothly.

Virat looked at Jaddu and Yuzi through narrowed eyes. "You two," he said in his best captain manner. "Get lost right now."

"What?" said Yuzi, shocked. "Why?"

"Don't be bossy, Cheeku," chided Mahi. "They can stay...how about you come to my room after dinner?"

"I can't wait another five hours," said Virat, frowning.

Mahi noticed Jaddu's lips twitching.

"Am I not invited to your room, Mahi bhai?" whined Yuzi.