The electrifying start, fifty runs without loss in the Powerplay, had everyone in the dugout buzzing. Aarav felt a surge of pride for his teammates, a distant echo of his own frustration from the World Cup semi-final, now replaced by hope. But cricket, as he was rapidly learning, was a game of relentless ebbs and flows.
Just as the commentators on TV always warned, the calm after the storm quickly gave way to a fresh squall. In the very first over after the Powerplay, a cunning off-spinner was introduced, and he struck immediately. Sameer, who had been looking comfortable, tried to clear the infield but mishit the ball, sending a simple catch straight to mid-off. A collective groan went through the team. 52 for 1.
Before the new batsman could even settle, disaster struck again. Arjun, seemingly rattled by his captain's dismissal, misjudged a quick single, hesitated mid-pitch, and was sent back by his partner. A lightning-fast throw from the deep and a direct hit at the non-striker's end sent him packing. 54 for 2. Two quick wickets, barely three balls apart, and the confident start had suddenly turned into a nervous stutter.
Aarav felt the familiar knot of anxiety in his stomach. This was precisely the kind of collapse he'd studied, the kind that had haunted him after India's semi-final exit. The momentum had swung violently. Chatter in the dugout died down, replaced by hushed whispers and tense faces. Coach Reddy's expression remained unreadable, but Aarav could sense the tightening of his jaw.
However, unlike the nightmare scenario he'd replayed from 2015, the team didn't completely unravel. The two new batsmen at the crease, Raghav—Aarav's friend—and a sturdy senior named Karan, displayed admirable composure. They assessed the situation, took a deep breath, and began to steady the ship. They weren't looking for boundaries every ball; instead, they focused on rotating the strike, taking quick singles, and punishing only the truly bad deliveries.
Raghav, despite his natural attacking flair, played a disciplined anchor role, defending resolutely and nudging the ball into gaps. Karan, with his compact technique, found the occasional boundary to keep the scoreboard ticking, alleviating some pressure. They ran hard between the wickets, turning singles into twos, constantly working the ball into empty spaces. It was an exhibition of calculated risk and smart cricket, a testament to mental strength over impulsive aggression.
The runs didn't flow as rapidly as in the Powerplay, but they flowed consistently. The partnership grew, painstakingly, resiliently. They weathered the spells from the spinners, rotated against the medium pacers, and built a foundation piece by piece. The dugout gradually relaxed, the tension easing as the batsmen proved their resolve.
By the time the innings concluded after 20 overs, the team had posted a very respectable total of 180 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. It wasn't a monstrous score, but it was a competitive one, especially after the mid-innings wobble. The recovery, driven by the calm heads of Raghav and Karan, demonstrated the very resilience Aarav himself was trying to cultivate in his batting. His team had bounced back. Now, the ball was truly in his court.