The Sunrisers Hyderabad team bus drove through the heavy evening traffic of Mumbai. They were heading toward the Wankhede Stadium.
Siddanth sat near the window, looking out at the city streets. The team had started the tournament with two easy wins, and the dressing room felt relaxed.
The bus pulled into the stadium. The players got out, grabbed their heavy kit bags, and walked into the away dressing room.
Up in the main broadcast box, Danny Morrison and Pommie Mbangwa were preparing for the pre-match show.
"Welcome to the Wankhede Stadium, everyone!" Danny Morrison shouted happily into his microphone. "The noise here in Mumbai is deafening tonight! The Mumbai Indians are taking on the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The home team has a tough challenge ahead of them against a very settled Hyderabad side."
"You are absolutely right, Danny," Pommie Mbangwa added. "Hyderabad's bowling attack is very strong. Let's hope the Mumbai Indians doesn't dissapoint the home crowd."
---
The television camera panned across the stadium. Sitting on the plush blue sofas placed directly on the ground just outside the boundary rope—a long-standing tradition for the Mumbai Indians owners—were Nita Ambani and her son, Akash Ambani. Nita waved a blue team flag.
The camera moved up to the VIP seating in the stands. Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan who was wearing Mumbai Indians jerseys, smiling and talking to the people around them.
Down on the pitch, Siddanth walked out to the center for the toss. Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Mumbai Indians, was already there. Ravi Shastri stood between them with a microphone.
"Let's go down to Ravi for the toss," Danny Morrison said.
"I have the two captains with me," Ravi Shastri announced to the stadium. "Rohit Sharma has the coin. Siddanth, you call."
Rohit flipped the coin high into the air.
"Tails," Siddanth called.
The coin landed on the pitch. Ravi looked down.
"It is heads," Ravi said. "Mumbai Indians win the toss."
Ravi turned to Rohit. "Rohit, you won the toss. What are you doing tonight?"
"We will bowl first, Ravi bhai," Rohit Sharma said. "It looks like a good batting track, but the dew will come down heavily in the second innings. We want to restrict them and chase the total later."
Ravi turned to Siddanth. "Siddanth, you have to bat first. Any changes to the playing eleven?"
"No changes, Ravi bhai," Siddanth replied smoothly. "We are playing the same team. We will try to put a good score on the board."
"Good luck to both teams," Ravi concluded.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad opening batsmen, David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan, walked out to the center of the pitch. Lasith Malinga took the new ball for Mumbai.
The match began.
0.1 Malinga ran in and bowled a fast yorker. Warner defended it cleanly.
0.2 Malinga bowled a slower ball. Warner pushed it to the off-side for no run.
Warner and Dhawan started carefully. They defended the first two overs, taking quiet singles to get a feel for the pitch.
In the third over, Jasprit Bumrah came on to bowl.
2.1 Bumrah bowled a short delivery. David Warner stepped outside his leg stump and cut the ball hard past the point fielder for a boundary. Four runs.
2.2 Bumrah bowled slightly fuller. Warner pulled it over the mid-wicket boundary for a six.
The partnership started to build. Dhawan played the supporting role, taking singles to give the strike back to Warner. The score reached 80 runs without a wicket falling.
9.1 Harbhajan Singh bowled a flat delivery to David Warner. Warner pushed it back to the bowler for no run.
9.2 Harbhajan bowled just outside the off-stump. Warner tried to cut the ball, but it spun a little extra. The ball took a thick outside edge of Warner's bat. Kieron Pollard, standing at first slip, dove to his right and caught the ball cleanly with one hand.
"Caught at slip!" Pommie Mbangwa announced on the broadcast. "Harbhajan gets the breakthrough. David Warner falls for 49 runs. A great catch by Pollard."
Warner walked back to the dugout.
Sunrisers Hyderabad were 82 for 1.
Kane Williamson walked out to bat at number three. He pushed the ball into the empty spaces and took quick singles, keeping the scoreboard moving.
11.4 Krunal Pandya bowled a flat delivery to Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan defended it off the front foot.
11.5 Krunal bowled a faster ball. Dhawan tried to play a sweep shot. He missed the ball completely, and it hit his front pad. The umpire raised his finger immediately. LBW.
Sunrisers Hyderabad were 105 for 2.
Sanju Samson walked out to bat at number four.
12.3 Hardik Pandya bowled to Samson. Samson stepped out and hit the ball over the covers for a boundary. Four runs.
12.4 Hardik bowled a slower ball. Samson tried to hit it over long-on. He didn't hit it well enough. The ball went high in the air, and the fielder at the boundary took an easy catch.
Samson was out for 6 runs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad were 115 for 3.
The Wankhede crowd cheered loudly. Mumbai was fighting back into the game. On the boundary sofa, Nita Ambani clapped happily.
Siddanth Deva picked up his bat, adjusted his gloves, and walked out of the dugout.
As he stepped onto the field, a very strange thing happened. The massive, deafening noise of the Wankhede crowd suddenly died down. The home fans went completely silent. They respected him, but they knew exactly how much damage he could do to their team. The only noise in the stadium came from a small section of Sunrisers Hyderabad supporters waving orange flags.
Siddanth walked to the crease and took his guard.
Lasith Malinga was brought back into the attack.
13.1 Malinga ran in and bowled a fast, low yorker. Siddanth watched the ball and dug it out safely. No run.
13.2 Malinga tried a slower ball. Siddanth waited for it, stepped forward, and hit it straight back over Malinga's head. The ball flew into the stands for a massive six.
14.1 Krunal Pandya bowled to Siddanth. Siddanth stepped down the pitch and hit him for a huge six over the mid-wicket boundary.
14.2 Krunal bowled flatter. Siddanth hit it over long-on for another six.
14.3 Krunal bowled wide. Siddanth cut it sharply past point for four runs.
14.4 Krunal bowled on the middle stump. Siddanth pushed the ball to long-off for a single.
Williamson played out the last two balls of the over.
Rohit Sharma brought his best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, back for the sixteenth over.
15.1 Bumrah bowled a full delivery on the leg stump. Siddanth flicked it through square leg for four runs.
15.2 Bumrah tried to bowl a fast yorker. He pushed too hard. His front foot landed over the popping crease. The umpire signaled a no-ball. Siddanth swung at the ball but missed. It went through to the keeper. No run.
"That is a no-ball from Bumrah," Danny Morrison said. "A free hit coming up. The pressure is showing on the bowler."
15.2 Bumrah ran in for the free hit. He bowled a full toss. Siddanth smashed it over the long-on boundary for a massive six.
15.3 Bumrah bowled a good length delivery. Siddanth hit it to deep cover for a single.
15.4 Bumrah bowled to Williamson. Williamson took a quick single, bringing Siddanth back on strike.
15.5 Bumrah ran in and tried to bowl a bouncer. His foot dragged over the line again. The umpire signaled another no-ball. Siddanth tried to pull the ball but hit it straight to the mid-wicket fielder. No run off the bat. Siddanth kept the strike.
"Another no-ball!" Pommie Mbangwa noted. "Bumrah is struggling with his run-up today. Another free hit for Siddanth Deva."
15.5 Bumrah bowled the free hit full and wide. Siddanth reached out and sliced it over point for a six.
15.6 Bumrah bowled a yorker. Siddanth dug it out and ran a single.
In the broadcast box, Pommie Mbangwa was looking at a piece of paper handed to him by the statistician. His eyes widened.
"Hold on a minute, Danny," Pommie said into the microphone, his voice rising with excitement. "I am looking at the numbers here. Siddanth Deva is batting on 47 runs right now. Do you know what that means?"
"Tell me, Pommie!" Danny Morrison shouted.
Pommie announced to the television audience. "He needs just eight more runs to reach 5,000. He is about to make history right here in Mumbai!"
Down on the field, the 19th over began. Lasith Malinga had the ball.
18.1 Malinga bowled a slower ball on the middle stump. Siddanth waited for it and launched it over the long-on boundary for a huge six.
He moved to 53 runs in the match. He needed two more runs.
18.2 Malinga ran in and bowled a fast, low full toss outside the off-stump. Siddanth opened the face of his bat and guided the ball perfectly between the point and short third-man fielders. The ball raced across the green grass and hit the boundary rope. Four runs.
The stadium erupted into applause. Even the Mumbai Indians fans stood up and clapped.
Siddanth took his helmet off and raised his bat to the crowd and to his dressing room.
"The Devil of Cricket strikes again!" Danny Morrison roared as the crowd went wild. "What an achievement! Siddanth Deva becomes the first player in the history of the Indian Premier League to score 5,000 runs!"
"What an incredible journey he has had in this tournament," Pommie Mbangwa added smoothly. "He came into this league as a young seventeen-year-old playing for the Deccan Chargers. And now, nine years later, look at what he has achieved. Four IPL trophies with two different teams. Three Orange Caps. Three Purple Caps. He is the only player to win both caps in the same season. Leading Wicket taker in IPL with 165 wickets. Now, another massive milestone in his career."
The television director immediately cut the camera feed from Siddanth to the Mumbai Indians dugout.
Sitting in the dugout, wearing a blue Mumbai Indians training shirt, was Sachin Tendulkar. The God of Cricket looked up at the big screen, smiled warmly, and clapped his hands together, applauding the Devil of Cricket for reaching the mountain peak.
Siddanth put his helmet back on. He tapped his bat on the pitch. The over was not finished.
18.3 Malinga bowled a full delivery. Siddanth hit it hard over the bowler's head for a six.
18.4 Malinga bowled a wide yorker. Siddanth squeezed it out to point for a single.
18.5 Malinga bowled to Williamson. Williamson hit it over the covers for a boundary. Four runs.
18.6 Malinga bowled a slower bouncer. Williamson pulled it to deep square leg for a single.
The strike changed. Siddanth was on strike for the start of the final over. They had scored 22 runs off the 19th over.
The 20th over began. Jasprit Bumrah had the ball.
19.1 Bumrah bowled a full toss on the pads. Siddanth flicked it over deep square leg for a six.
19.2 Bumrah bowled a good length ball. Siddanth hit it straight down the ground for four runs.
19.3 Bumrah tried a wide yorker. Siddanth cut it past point for four runs.
19.4 Bumrah bowled a slower ball. Siddanth pushed it to long-off for a single.
19.5 Bumrah bowled to Williamson. Williamson hit it down to long-on for a single.
19.6 Bumrah ran in and bowled a fast yorker aimed at the middle stump.
Siddanth stayed deep in his crease, got his bat under the ball, and lifted it directly into the second tier of the stands over deep mid-wicket.
Six runs to finish the innings.
They had scored 22 runs off the final over.
Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a massive total of 231 for 3.
Siddanth finished not out on 81 runs off just 26 balls.
He took his helmet off and started walking back to the dugout with Kane Williamson. As they walked off the field, Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, and Lasith Malinga walked over to him.
"Congratulations on five thousand runs, Sid," Rohit Sharma said with a smile. "You batted brilliantly today."
"Thank you, Ro," Siddanth replied, shaking his hand.
"Well played, man," Malinga added, giving him a quick pat on the back.
Siddanth walked up the steps to the dressing room. His teammates were waiting at the door, clapping for his achievement.
The innings break lasted for fifteen minutes.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad team walked back out onto the field. Parthiv Patel and Lendl Simmons walked out to open the batting for the Mumbai Indians.
Siddanth gave the new ball to Trent Boult.
0.1 Boult ran in and bowled a beautiful in-swinging delivery. Parthiv Patel tried to flick it, missed, and was trapped right in front of the stumps. The umpire raised his finger. LBW.
Mumbai Indians were 0 for 1.
On the boundary sofa, Nita Ambani looked very worried.
1.4 Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled an out-swinger to Lendl Simmons. Simmons edged it, and Shikhar Dhawan took a sharp catch at first slip.
Mumbai Indians were 4 for 2.
Mohammed Siraj came into the attack and bowled with high pace.
4.2 Siraj bounced Rohit Sharma out. Rohit tried to pull a short ball and was caught at deep square leg.
Yuzvendra Chahal and Rashid Khan bowled the middle overs. The ball was turning, and the Mumbai batsmen couldn't hit boundaries.
8.5 Rashid Khan bowled Nitish Rana with a fast googly.
Mumbai Indians were struggling badly.
Kieron Pollard walked out to bat. Pollard was a very big, powerful hitter.
Siddanth looked at the game. He didn't want Pollard to settle against the spin bowlers. He decided to bowl himself. He took his cap off and handed it to the umpire.
"The captain brings himself on," Danny Morrison said. "He wants to finish this right now."
Siddanth walked to his mark. Kieron Pollard took his stance, tapping his heavy bat on the ground, looking very serious.
11.1 Siddanth ran in. He bowled a fast, length delivery on the middle stump. Pollard stepped forward and defended the ball with a straight bat. The ball rolled softly back down the pitch, stopping halfway between the wickets.
Pollard was out of his batting crease while defending.
Siddanth followed through his bowling action, took two quick steps forward, and picked the ball up with his right hand.
He looked up and saw Pollard standing out of his crease. Siddanth pulled his arm back quickly and faked a hard throw at the stumps.
Pollard saw the fake throw and lifted his heavy cricket bat high into the air, and gripped it tightly with both hands, looking deadly serious. He looked ready to swing the bat hard at Siddanth or the ball if it came near him.
It was a real threat.
Siddanth didn't blink. His expression remained calm. He just lowered his arm, held the ball, turned around, and calmly walked back to his bowling mark.
11.2 Siddanth ran in. He pitched it slightly shorter and wider outside the off-stump. Pollard was waiting. He swung his arms and slapped the ball incredibly hard through the cover region. It raced to the boundary rope.
Four runs.
Pollard stood at the crease and gave Siddanth a long, hard stare.
Siddanth didn't react. He walked back to his mark.
11.3 Siddanth ran in. He bowled a fast, full delivery, aiming straight for the base of the middle stump.
Pollard jammed his bat down hard and dug the ball out. The ball rolled quickly back down the pitch, heading straight toward Siddanth again.
Pollard, wanting to show dominance again, took two large steps out of his crease.
Siddanth followed through his run-up. He bent down and scooped the ball up with his right hand.
This time, he didn't fake the throw.
His body knew exactly where the target was without needing his eyes to line it up.
The moment the ball touched his fingers, he snapped his wrist and fired the ball directly at the stumps at the striker's end in one fast motion.
The ball flew through the air and crashed directly into the middle stump. The red lights on the stumps flashed brightly.
Pollard scrambled to get his bat back into the crease, but he was too late.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad players shouted an appeal. The square-leg umpire drew a box in the air, sending the decision to the TV umpire.
The big screen showed the replay. The ball hit the stumps, and Pollard's bat was clearly outside the line.
The big screen flashed: OUT.
The stadium crowd groaned.
Siddanth looked directly at Kieron Pollard. He raised his right hand, looked at the big batsman, and gave him a slow, very clear "bye-bye" wave.
David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan ran in from the outfield and swarmed Siddanth, hugging him and laughing at the send-off.
"He hits the stumps directly!" Pommie Mbangwa shouted on the commentary. "Pollard stepped out again, and Deva just picked it up and threw it down without even aiming! What incredible fielding! And look at the wave goodbye!"
Pollard shook his head, tucked his bat under his arm, and walked off the field. He was out for 4 runs.
Mumbai Indians were 62 for 5.
The rest of the Mumbai batting lineup fell apart very quickly. Siddanth brought his fast bowlers, Bhuvi, Boult and Siraj, back into the attack. They cleaned up the lower order. Siddanth only bowled that one single over.
15.2 Trent Boult bowled Jasprit Bumrah.
The Mumbai Indians were all out for 127 runs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad won the match by 104 runs.
The players shook hands in the middle of the field. The post-match presentation was set up.
Ravi Shastri held the microphone.
Siddanth walked up to receive the Man of the Match award for his runs and his crucial run-out.
"Siddanth, congratulations on the win," Ravi Shastri said. "But more importantly, congratulations on becoming the first player to reach 5,000 IPL runs. How does it feel?"
"Thank you, Ravi bhai," Siddanth said into the microphone. "It is a nice milestone to reach. I just try to adapt my batting to help the team put winning totals on the board. The bowlers did a great job defending it today."
"And that run-out of Kieron Pollard," Ravi chuckled. "He lifted his bat at you, he hit you for a boundary, and then you hit the stumps directly without even aiming. Did you practice that throw?"
Siddanth smiled slightly. "He was standing out of his crease. I just threw it at the stumps. The direct hit worked out well."
"It certainly did," Ravi laughed. "Congratulations again."
Siddanth took his trophy and walked back to his team. The Sunrisers Hyderabad had won again, and their captain had written his name into the history books once more.
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@CricFanatic99: 5000 RUNS! Siddanth Deva is the first man to climb the mountain! We are witnessing greatness. #IPL2017 #SRHvsMI
@OrangeArmyForce: The Wankhede went completely silent when he walked out to bat. They knew what was coming. The Devil of Cricket!
@MumbaiIndiansHub: Losing by 104 runs at home hurts. Our batting just collapsed today. Well played SRH.
@StatTrackerIPL: Siddanth Deva: 5026 IPL runs. 165 IPL wickets. 3 Orange Caps. 3 Purple Caps. The stats are just ridiculous.
@CricketMemesDaily: The God of Cricket applauding the Devil of Cricket. Hang this in the Louvre.
@BumrahFanBoy: Two no-balls in an over from Bumrah. The pressure of bowling to Deva is real, man.
@TeluguCinemaFreak: Siddanth giving the 'bye-bye' wave to Pollard is the most mass thing I've seen on a cricket field.
@KP24 (Kevin Pietersen): That direct hit from Deva was special. He didn't even set his feet to aim. Pure instinct.
@DannyMorrison: A privilege to call the moment Siddanth Deva crossed 5000 runs. A true modern great of the IPL.
@PollardPower: Pollard lifting the bat like he was going to hit a home run was scary. Deva didn't even flinch. Ice in his veins.
@SRH_Update: 3 wins in 3 matches! Go Risers.
@CricketBanter: Deva fakes the throw -> Pollard lifts the bat. Deva bowls -> Pollard hits a four. Deva throws -> Direct hit, Pollard out. Cinema!
@NitaAmbaniCam: The Ambani sofa cam went from happy to depressed very quickly when Deva started hitting sixes.
@IPL_Insider: The respect the MI players showed Deva during the innings break by congratulating him on 5000 runs is what cricket is all about.
@GullyCricketPro: 81 off 26 balls. That strike rate is illegal.
@BoultLightning: Trent Boult picking up early wickets makes SRH impossible to beat.
@RashidMagic: Rashid Khan bowling Nitish Rana with that googly was beautiful.
@CricketLoverInd: Malinga bowling full tosses to Deva? What timeline is this?
@FanGirl_Sid: 5000 runs completed. Now let's go for 6000.
@SportsJournalist: Siddanth Deva's post-match interview: "I just threw it at the stumps." He makes the hardest things look so easy.
@MIPaltan: We need to bounce back in the next game. 127 all out is embarrassing.
@SirajExpress: Mohammed Siraj getting Rohit Sharma out with a bouncer! The local boy is doing well.
@Cricket_Humor: [Video of Pollard's bat lift with intense background music].
@SRH_Forever: Warner and Dhawan set the perfect platform. Deva just came in and finished the job.
@T20Stats: Deva's IPL career: 5026 runs 165 wickets. Just incredible consistency over 9 years.
@RaviShastriQuotes: "He didn't even aim, he just threw it!" Ravi bhai loves the drama.
@CricketAddict: The fielding from SRH today was top class. That catch by Pollard to dismiss Warner was also very good.
@HyderabadBlues: We are winning the cup again this year. I can feel it.
@CricWorld: Siddanth Deva. The first to 5000. Take a bow.
Siddanth Deva Match Statistics:
Batting: 81 Not Out (26 Balls).
Bowling: 1 Over, 0 Maidens, 4 Runs, 0 Wickets.