Chapter 36: Second Innings

Upon finishing our innings, Kaif and I headed back to the team rooms. As I stepped into the room, all eyes were suddenly on me. The silence was deafening and the lack of response was not what I had anticipated. Everyone was frozen, their expressions unreadable.

With apprehension, I asked, "Is anything wrong?"

"Yes," replied Sachin Tendulkar in a serious tone.

"Is it related to me?" I asked again, my voice trembling.

"Yes," responded Dhoni.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what I did, but I apologize," I stammered, feeling guilty for an unknown reason."

Before anyone could say anything, Yuvraj bursts in, sees me and starts freaking out. Raina joins in and it's a full-blown celebration.

Yuvraj grabs me in a bear hug and goes, "Dude, how'd you pull that off?"

I tried to wiggle out of his grip, but Raina came over and joined in. So there I was, stuck in a two-man embrace.

Rahul Dravid came to my rescue, saying, "Alright, alright, ease up guys. Let the poor guy breathe."

Rahul turns to Sachin and goes, "Even you, Sachin? What's with freaking out the kid?" That broke the tension and everyone started laughing.

I still had no idea what was going on, but I couldn't help but join in with the laughter.

I finally mustered up the courage to ask, "So, what happened? Why were you all acting so weird?"

Dravid chuckles and says, "Nothing, they're just messing with you, some nonsense point."

But Irfan Pathan jumps in, "It's not nonsense, Captain."

Dravid raises an eyebrow and asks, "Oh, so what's the deal then?"

Dhoni finally explains, "We were talking about the post-match interview he'll be giving. I mean, he made some big records today. We were just worried about what he might say, you know? What if he said something silly. We're all senior players here, after all."

Dravid nods seriously, "That's a valid point."

I protest, "Come on guys, I'm not stupid."

Raina chuckles, "Who knows?" and that set everyone off laughing again.

Before long, the playful teasing turned back into a happy, lighthearted atmosphere.

Sachin gives me a nod of approval, "Well played, Vipin. When I saw you play that first over, I thought we were going to fall short of 300. But what an innings." Dravid pats my back.

Yuvraj grins, "Get ready for the airport scene when we get back to India, Vipin. You're going to be signing some autographs."

Raina winks at me, "Who knows, you might even find someone special to sign for."

These types of conversations continued until the break was over and everyone was ready to hit the field and play some more.

"Alright team, a score of 365 might be difficult on any other ground, but with the smaller boundary here, it's a bit more manageable. I need all of you to stay focused on the ball. Let's show them what happens when Indians get serious." With that, Dravid gives a rousing speech and we take the field ready to give it our all.

I was stationed at first slip for the first over and as the powerplay started, Sreesanth prepared to bowl the first delivery.

The first over was mostly filled with dot balls, with only one four being scored. The score was Pakistan 4/0 after the first over.

Our bowlers and fielders were playing well, with only a few boundaries being conceded. After 7 overs, the score was 39/0.

Soon, Sreesanth was called back to bowl the 8th over.

Akmal took a swing at the first delivery, but the bowler's good length and placement around the off stump proved too much, as Akmal was unable to connect and was left beaten.

The second delivery was a full-length ball on the off stump, and Akmal made it count! He unleashed a powerful shot, smashing it through covers and leaving everyone in awe of his strength. Four runs.

Akmal expertly dealt with the third delivery, a well-placed good length ball. He calmly drove it down the ground for a solid two runs.

The fourth delivery was a testing line and length ball from the bowler, but Akmal couldn't quite connect. Despite a solid effort, he missed the ball.

The fifth delivery was a short ball aimed at the stumps, but Akmal was quick to react. He pulled it with ease to the mid-wicket fence, earning a well-deserved four runs with a powerful shot.

The final delivery was a full-length ball that was swinging away on the off stump. Akmal moved forward and tried to drive it, but instead sliced it in the air. The ball headed towards the second slip position, but I, stationed at first slip, was ready.

Something snapped inside me as I saw the ball and I jumped into action. With swift motion, I lunged towards the ball and made a stunning catch with my right hand just before it hit the ground, securing a memorable moment in the game.

And there it was - Akmal was out! I was the one who made the crucial catch, snagging the ball with a stunning grab. I let out a triumphant shout as I threw the ball, and my teammates Dhoni and Shreesanth rushed over to join in the celebration.

My skills were soon put to the test as I was assigned to the point field. I was determined to make an impact and I didn't disappoint. I was a wall on the field, stopping shot after shot with ease. No ball got past me and I was relentless in my pursuit of keeping runs to a minimum.

The opposition soon learned that playing towards the point position, where they had previously gathered most of their runs, was now a dangerous proposition. Every shot they took in that direction was met with a resounding stop from me, earning them no runs.

I had successfully transformed what was once a weak point in our defense into a formidable force, putting pressure on the opposition and giving my team the upper hand.

The crunch time had arrived. I was called upon to deliver the final over of the powerplay in the 10th, with the fate of the game hanging in the balance. My pulse quickened as I felt the pressure mounting, but I was undaunted.

"Vipin, it's your moment," Dravid spoke confidently as he handed me the ball. "Don't let the pressure get to you, just trust in the skills you honed in the nets.

With a confident nod, I was ready to show my mettle. I took off down the pitch, my heart pounding in my chest, and I let my arm fly. In that moment, my first delivery in my professional career was unleashed.

My first delivery was a fast ball with just enough topspin to keep it on target. The batter, Butt, let it sail by, his surprise evident as he gazed at me. He was taken aback by the speed of my delivery, faster than anything he had faced from an Indian bowler.

The second delivery was a short ball that moved away from the batter. Butt tried to force it on the back foot, but his timing was off and the ball rolled easily to short extra-cover for a single.

My third delivery was a fraction short and outside the off stump. Malik tapped it away on the back foot to short point, but there was no score from that delivery.

My fourth delivery was a good-length ball on the off stump, pushed to the left of me. Malik took off for a risky run, but I quickly retrieved the ball and threw it directly at the bowler's end, resulting in a run out.

My pinpoint accuracy in throwing at the stumps paid off, leading to the crucial run out, even if it wouldn't go in my record as an official wicket. My teammates swarmed me with hugs and congratulations after the dismissal.

The fifth delivery was a short ball around the off stump. Butt stood tall, trying to clear mid-on, but his timing was off and the ball looped up to Zaheer at mid-on for an easy catch.

The emotions running through me were indescribable. Though the wicket wasn't an official bowled, it was still a catch, and I had forced the batter into making that shot. Yuvraj leaped onto me in excitement.

"You're making yourself a permanent fixture on the team," Yuvraj declared.

"You can count on it," I replied with a chuckle.

The final delivery, a yorker length ball on the outside off stump, swung in. Malik drove at it, but the ball beat him, narrowly missing the stumps.

And just like that, my successful over was complete, yielding just one run and a crucial wicket.

The match continued, with another wicket by Zaheer Khan putting us in a strong position. But the game lasted longer than expected.

I ended up bowling seven overs, giving up only 19 runs, and although I didn't take any more wickets, I successfully prevented the opposition from scoring.

Wherever I was positioned on the field, the ball never got past me. I was a true wall.

With the score at 247-8 in the 42nd over, I was ready to step up again. The match was within our grasp, just two more wickets away from a victory.

The first delivery was a half-volley, and the batter mistimed his shot, sending it soaring towards mid-on, where it was caught just short of the fielder by Agarkar. No runs.

The second delivery was a reverse-swinging yorker on the middle and leg stumps, and the batter tried to work it away. But he was hit on the toes, and I immediately appealed. The batsman was declared out, and there was no denying the accuracy of that toe crusher.

The third delivery was another yorker, this one shaping in slightly, but the batter was quick to react, getting his bat down in time to defend it away towards the offside.

The fourth delivery saw the batsman trying to make room, but I followed his movement and once again delivered a yorker. He had no chance to play the ball, and the middle stump was sent flying. The batsman was bowled out.

The match ended in a massive win for us, with the opposition team being all out for just 247 runs, 117 runs short of our score. The crowd erupted in cheers, and an India vs Pakistan match is always a highly anticipated event for fans.

My teammates surrounded me, showering me with excitement and congratulations. It was an overwhelming feeling, like nothing I had ever experienced before. The euphoric energy of the crowd, combined with the joy and pride of my teammates, made it a moment I will never forget.