The Day of Reckoning
Jubilee Ground – Match Day Morning
The sun hadn't even fully risen, and already the Nawabganj Nawabs were at the ground, half-awake but buzzing with nervous energy. Plastic chairs were dragged in for spectators, chai stalls popped up at the boundary, and a guy with a dhol showed up uninvited — but was immediately hired.
"This looks more like a wedding than a cricket match," Rhea muttered, setting up her camera.
"Bhai, yeh Nawabganj Premier League hai," Bunty Bhai proudly declared. "Yahan cricket aur circus mein farq nahi hai."
(This is the Nawabganj Premier League — there's no difference between cricket and a circus here.)
Sania System – Match Mode Activated
🟢 Match Type: Local Showcase Match
🟢 Stakes: Spot in District Trials + Izzat of Nawabganj
🟢 Special Guests: Coach Sharma (50% chance he leaves halfway)
Sania: "Beta, yeh warm-up nahi, pura World Cup hai tumhare liye."
(Kid, this isn't a warm-up — this is your personal World Cup.)
The Opponents – Gomti Gunners
The Gomti Gunners were no joke — taller, richer, and all wearing proper jerseys. Their captain, Vishal "Vicky" Tandon, was a district player who loved mocking street cricketers like they were insects.
"Arjun Mishra — the mohalla hero, right?" Vicky smirked during the toss. "Let's see if you can handle real players."
Arjun flipped the coin. "You talk too much, Vicky."
"Habit."
Toss won — Nawabs would bat first.
1st Innings – Nawabganj Nawabs Batting
With barely any warm-up, Arjun and Bunty Bhai opened. The crowd was half-eating kachoris, half-cheering. Coach Sharma sat on the far side, arms folded, sunglasses hiding any emotion.
"Pressure hai?" Bunty Bhai asked at the non-striker's end.
(Feeling the pressure?)
"Bas thoda sa," Arjun grinned.
(Just a little.)
First ball — Vicky bowling — full, fast, aiming at the toes. Arjun shuffled across and scooped it over the keeper's head.
The crowd exploded. Dhol started playing. Chai spilled everywhere.
Sania System – Shot Analysis
🟢 Shot Type: Reverse Scoop
🟢 Confidence Level: 99% Tashan (Swagger)
Sania: "Beta, yeh toh first ball pe hi teaser dikha diya."
(Kid, you dropped the trailer on the first ball itself.)
What followed was pure gully magic — switch hits, no-look sixes, Bunty Bhai's edge-for-four-and-proud-of-it moments, and even Golu Uncle's accidental boundary off his knee.
Rhea couldn't stop laughing. "This isn't cricket, this is a Nawabganj music video."
By the time their innings ended, the Nawabs had put up 163 in 15 overs — a miracle on a ground where 120 was considered winning total.
2nd Innings – Gomti Gunners Batting
But Vicky Tandon didn't come to play — he came to humiliate.
First over, Vicky slammed two sixes straight into the chai stall. Golu Uncle dropped a sitter, and Guddu bowled a 13-ball over thanks to wides.
Arjun huddled the team at the drinks break. "Chhodo technique, dimaag lagao. Yeh gully hai — apna game khelo."
(Forget technique, use your brains. This is gully — play our way.)
Sania System – Street Tactics Unlocked
🟢 Plan 1: Underarm Slower Ball – Guddu's Special
🟢 Plan 2: Crowd Pressure – Get the aunties to start commenting loudly
🟢 Plan 3: Arjun's Mystery Over – The secret delivery nobody's seen yet
The Comeback
Guddu's underarm slower ball got Vicky caught at long-on — crowd erupted.The twins, Chintu and Mintoo, ran their own fake misfield trap, tricking a batter into running himself out.The aunties, led by Bunty Bhai's wife, started yelling advice from the boundary — "Teez mat daalna, beta, usko flight deke ullu bana de!"
(Don't bowl fast, son — toss it up and fool him!)
Final Over – Arjun's Moment
10 runs to defend. 6 balls. Arjun took the ball himself.
First ball — wide.
Second ball — dot.
Third ball — full toss, smashed for four.
Rhea bit her lip. Sharma Sir leaned forward slightly.
Fourth ball — Arjun tried something nobody expected — the rooftop ball.
He gripped it like a spinner but flicked it like a tennis shot — the ball dipped, bounced weirdly off the rough patch, and crashed into the stumps.
Sania System – Mystery Ball Analyzed
🟢 Delivery Name: Mohalla Special Top-Spin Yorker
🟢 Patent Pending: Arjun Mishra
Sania: "Beta, tum toh street cricket ke Einstein nikle."
(Kid, you turned out to be the Einstein of street cricket.)
Last ball — 3 runs needed — tension thicker than Bunty Bhai's chai.
Arjun ran in, bowled a harmless-looking off-cutter, batter tried to scoop… and Mintoo dived full stretch, one-handed catch behind the stumps.
Match over. Nawabganj Nawabs won. The ground went full Holi festival mode.
After the Dust Settled
As the team celebrated, Arjun saw Coach Sharma walking away quietly.
"Sir!" he called out, running after him.
Sharma turned. "Kya chahiye?"
(What do you want?)
"Ek moka. Sirf ek."
(One chance — just one.)
Sharma stared for a long moment, then nodded once. "District trials is after 14 days."
And just like that, the door Arjun thought was shut forever — opened again.
Sania System – Emotional Endnote
🟢 Achievement Unlocked: Mohalla to Mainstream
🟢 Story Progress: 65%
Sania: "Beta, ab asli struggle shuru hai."
(Kid, now the real struggle begins.)
As the crowd thinned and the chai stalls packed up, Rhea walked up beside him.
"Told you," she said, smiling. "Nawabganj's Sultan is back."
Arjun glanced at her, eyes shining. "Abhi toh bas trailer tha."
(This was just the trailer.)
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