The sun dipped lower over the stadium, casting a golden hue across the field. Shadows stretched long over the outfield, but the scoreboard burned bright.
Score: 82/4. Required: 80 runs in 9 overs.
Aki took guard again. His heart pounded against his ribs like a drumbeat of war. Every second mattered now. His fingers curled around the bat handle with practiced familiarity. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. The world shrank to the 22 yards before him.
Across him, the bowler, Dhruv—quick, experienced, and cocky—adjusted his wristband and gave a sly grin. He charged in.
First ball: short-of-length and skiddy.
Aki leaned back and cracked it past point with surgical precision.
FOUR.
The crowd erupted.
That sound—it wasn't just cheering. It was belief. Belief in Aki. In the impossible becoming possible.
Second ball: disguised slower delivery. Clever.
But Aki had noticed the shift in grip. His eyes were hawk-sharp. He stepped down and lofted the ball elegantly over mid-off.
FOUR again.
Two balls, two boundaries.
The stadium thundered. Flags waved. Chants rose like waves crashing on the shore.
The mission window that had appeared earlier had long vanished, but its message remained etched into Aki's subconscious:
"Win the game."
"Focus," he muttered to himself, tapping his bat once, twice.
Nikhil, his partner, jogged over as the over ended. "You good?"
"Better than ever," Aki said, sweat beading on his brow.
13th over.
The momentum was theirs. You could feel it shift in the air.
Aki played with calculated aggression, using the crease, manipulating angles. He punished bad balls, worked the singles, and respected the good ones. Nikhil rotated strike with calm efficiency. Their synergy frustrated the opposition.
Score: 110/4 in 14 overs.
Aki: 21(12)*
Nikhil: 51(38)
Just 42 runs needed from 36 balls.
But cricket is a game of turns and tightropes.
Arjun, the opposition's trump card, came in. A tall off-spinner with unpredictable drift.
First ball: flight and dip.
Nikhil stretched forward—beaten.
Second ball: tossed up again.
Nikhil went for the big shot. He wanted to end it quickly.
The ball soared high.
Time slowed. The crowd's voice became a low hum.
The long-on fielder steadied himself.
Caught.
110/5.
The stadium fell silent. Nikhil stared skyward and trudged back.
As he passed Aki, he patted his shoulder. "This is your story now."
Aki's lips thinned into a line. He nodded and turned.
Manan, the wicketkeeper-batsman, strode in. Known for power. Not for patience.
Aki whispered as Manan took his guard, "Hold the line. No hero shots. Play smart."
Manan gave a tight nod.
But Arjun smelled blood. He tightened his line.
Manan edged, fumbled, mistimed. Pressure mounted like a tidal wave.
16th over.
Runs needed: 32 off 24 balls.
Aki took strike.
First ball: short, wide.
Aki slashed hard—FOUR over point.
Second ball: full toss.
He flicked hard—FOUR to deep square.
The stadium roared back to life. Hope flickered into flame.
Three singles followed. Rohan, a tailender, survived a sharp bouncer.
Score: 132/6.
Then disaster struck.
17th over.
Rohan missed a straight one.
BOWLED.
132/7.
Aki clenched his fists. His jaw tightened.
Three wickets left. 18 balls. 20 runs. The equation was brutal.
Tanmay walked in, eyes wide. A nervous 19-year-old. But he had heart.
Aki checked his system window again.
A pop-up flickered:
[Energy Drink] - Use now?
[YES] [NO]
He selected [YES].
A pulse of light washed over his vision. His senses sharpened. Adrenaline surged.
18th over.
First ball: slower one outside off.
Aki shuffled and scooped—FOUR over fine leg.
Second ball: full and straight.
He hammered it back—FOUR down the ground.
The crowd lost control. Horns blared. Flags waved. Feet stomped.
9 runs needed off 10 balls.
Dot ball.
Single.
Tanmay on strike: missed the fifth.
Last ball: thick edge, but safe. Single taken.
Score: 144/7.
8 runs needed off the final over.
Final over.
Arjun returned. The spinner was cold-blooded under pressure.
1st ball: floated up. Aki tried the Power Shot.
Mistimed. Dot.
His breath hitched. He exhaled deeply. Reset.
2nd ball: same flight. Aki waited and then exploded.
SIX.
Clean and massive over long-on.
The entire team jumped from the dugout. The crowd's chants turned deafening.
2 needed. 4 balls left.
3rd ball: yorker. Aki jammed it out. Dribbled to mid-off.
"Run!" he barked.
Tanmay hesitated.
The throw came in. Direct hit attempt.
Missed. Safe.
Score level.
Aki knelt briefly. His chest heaved. One run away.
4th ball: Arjun tossed it up again.
Aki stepped back, opened the bat face, and guided it.
The third man ran in but couldn't stop it.
They ran.
VICTORY.
Aki stood tall, arms lifted, eyes closed.
The sound of triumph washed over him.
His teammates rushed in. Hugs, backslaps, laughter. Emotion overflowed—some in tears, some shouting into the air.
He looked at the digital window.
[MISSION COMPLETE]
Reward Unlocked:
+1 Stat Point
New Skill: Power Shot (Basic)
As the cheers echoed around him and the team continued celebrating their hard-fought win, Aki stepped aside, letting the moment sink in. A familiar shimmer appeared in his vision—
[Unallocated Stats: +1]
The window displayed his core attributes: Batting, Bowling, Fielding, Agility, Stamina. His eyes lingered on Batting, the skill that had just won them the match. But then he remembered the sharp stops, the diving saves, and the crucial run-outs he'd helped set up earlier in the field. While he hadn't dropped a single chance, he knew great games were often decided in the field just as much as with the bat. He tapped Fielding.
[+1 Applied to FIELDING]
A sudden clarity washed over him—his awareness heightened, his limbs more responsive. He could feel it already: next match, he'd be faster, sharper… untouchable in the field.