The morning sun over Birmingham fought a losing, desperate battle against a thick, oppressive blanket of slate-grey clouds. It was match day at Edgbaston. It was not merely a game; it was a simmering cauldron of geopolitical tension and cricketing fanaticism.
India versus Pakistan.
The streets leading up to the stadium were completely paralyzed, choked by a vibrant, roaring human tide. Thousands of people surged toward the turnstiles in a chaotic frenzy.
The colors of the two nations—saffron, white, and green clashing and bleeding into deep, crescent green—painted the damp pavements. Fans carried massive flags draped over their shoulders like armor.
The piercing, relentless wail of plastic vuvuzelas filled the heavy, humid air, creating a deafening, vibrating hum that could be felt deep in the chest miles away.
Outside the main gates, groups of fans gathered in fierce but friendly rivalry. Die-hard supporters stood shirtless despite the biting English wind, their entire torsos painted in their team's colors.
Indian and Pakistani fans stood shoulder to shoulder, taking photos, exchanging loud, passionate banter, and eating hot samosas from the surrounding food stalls. The atmosphere outside was a massive, unified festival.
But inside the stadium walls, the cold, harsh reality of the contest settled in with a suffocating weight.
High up in the broadcast box, the global feed went live to over a billion viewers.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Edgbaston," Harsha Bhogle's smooth, poetic voice drifted over the airwaves. "It is the mother of all rivalries. The air is thick, the skies are threatening, and the atmosphere here is absolutely electric. But the narrative coming into this Champions Trophy clash has been entirely hijacked by one man."
"You are absolutely right, Harsha," former England captain Nasser Hussain chimed in, leaning intensely over his desk. "Siddanth Deva's press conference two days ago sent shockwaves through the cricketing fraternity. To publicly state that a match against Pakistan is just 'a regular warm-up game' against a team that hasn't beaten them in a decade... it was an insult. He has put a target on his own back."
"It's psychological warfare, Nasser," Sourav Ganguly added from the panel, a knowing smirk on his face. "Deva knows what he is doing. He wants Pakistan to step onto that grass playing with their hearts, not their heads. An angry fast bowler is an erratic fast bowler. The question is: will Pakistan fall for the bait, or will they make him eat his words?"
In the Pakistan dressing room, the bait had been swallowed whole, hook, line, and sinker.
The mood was suffocatingly tense. The television on the wall was muted, but it replayed the viral clip of Siddanth Deva's press conference in a relentless, taunting loop.
Mohammad Amir sat near his kit bag, aggressively taping his fingers, his eyes burning with a dark intensity. Hasan Ali paced the floor like a caged predator. Wahab Riaz stood near the television, his arms crossed so tight his knuckles were white.
They were fast bowlers, and fast bowlers ran on raw pride and primal aggression. Hearing the Indian captain publicly dismiss them felt like a slap to the face.
"Did you hear the arrogance?" Hasan Ali muttered, shaking his head. "He said he was sixteen years old the last time we won a game against them. He looked right into the cameras and laughed at us."
"He thinks we are a club team," Wahab Riaz hissed, his voice dangerously low. "He thinks he can just walk over us on a green English pitch. I'm going to take his head off today."
Sarfaraz Ahmed, the Pakistan captain, walked into the middle of the room. He looked at his seething pace battery.
"Calm down!" Sarfaraz ordered them firmly, clapping his hands together. "Stop looking at the television!"
"He disrespected the badge, skipper," Amir said quietly from his bench, not looking up from his taped fingers.
"He is playing mind games!" Sarfaraz corrected them, his voice echoing in the small room. "He is the captain. He knows what he is doing. He said those things so you would lose your discipline. He wants you to bowl with blind anger instead of a plan. If you bowl in anger, you will bowl short, you will bowl wide, and you will bleed boundaries! Do not let him dictate your emotions!"
Sarfaraz pointed a gloved finger at the door. "Ignore the noise. We stick to our line and length. We bowl full, let the ball swing in these overcast conditions, and take their top order apart. That is how we silence him."
The bowlers nodded slowly, though the fire in their eyes hardly dimmed.
Just down the hallway, the scene inside the Indian dressing room was a jarring, opposite reality.
A portable speaker rested on a central table, blasting upbeat Punjabi rap music. Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma sat next to each other, tapping their feet to the heavy bass. Yuvraj Singh was joking loudly with Ravindra Jadeja, causing a chorus of laughter from the younger players.
Siddanth Deva sat quietly on a bench in the corner. He wore his pristine blue Indian jersey, tying his shoelaces.
MS Dhoni walked over and took a seat next to him.
"You stirred up a hornet's nest yesterday, Sid," Dhoni noted, a small, amused smile playing on his lips.
"I just stated the facts, Mahi bhai," Siddanth replied, finishing a double knot. "The media was trying to build up pressure on our young guys with all the 'Rivalry' talk. I wanted to redirect the heat onto myself."
"It worked," Dhoni observed, looking around the relaxed dressing room. "The boys are loose. Zero tension. But you know their pacers are going to come hunting for your head today. They are going to bowl fast and short."
"That was the plan," Siddanth said. He stood up and grabbed his India cap from his bag and pulled it over his dark hair. "Let them bowl short."
Siddanth walked out of the dressing room, navigated the concrete tunnel, and stepped out onto the lush green grass of Edgbaston.
The stadium transformed into a cauldron of noise. The roar from the crowd was a physical entity, shaking the ground.
"We are down at the pitch for the toss," Ravi Shastri's booming voice echoed across the stadium speakers and international feeds. "I have the two captains with me. The noise is unbelievable! Sarfaraz, you have the coin."
Sarfaraz threw the coin high into the grey sky. Siddanth called heads.
The coin landed on the hard, dry pitch. It was tails.
"Pakistan wins the toss," the referee announced.
"Sarfaraz, you've won the toss. What is your decision?" Shastri asked, thrusting the microphone forward.
"We will bowl first, Ravi," Sarfaraz answered immediately. "The conditions are heavily overcast. There is moisture in the air. Our fast bowlers can use the early swing to put them under pressure and take early wickets."
"Siddanth," Shastri turned to the Indian captain. "You have been asked to bat. Does that change your plans?"
"Not at all. We are very happy to bat first," Siddanth replied, his face a mask of absolute, unyielding calm. "The pitch looks solid underneath. We want to see off the new ball, weather the initial swing, and post a massive total. The clouds don't bother us."
"Tell us your playing eleven," Shastri requested.
"Rohit and Shikhar will open," Siddanth recited effortlessly. "Virat, myself, Yuvraj, MS Dhoni, Hardik, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Bhuvi, and Shami."
The broadcast cut back to the studio for a short commercial break before the first ball.
The Indian opening batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, walked out to the middle, greeted by a massive roar. The Pakistan fielders spread out, forming a tight, aggressive inner ring.
Mohammad Amir took the new white Kookaburra ball. He marked his run-up.
The first innings of the marquee clash began.
0.1 Mohammad Amir to Rohit Sharma.
Amir steamed in from the Pavilion End. He hit the crease with a smooth, explosive leap, angling the ball across the right-hander at 142 km/h. The ball found immediate away movement in the humid air. Rohit watched it closely, deciding to leave it alone. It carried beautifully through to Sarfaraz.
"And we are underway!" Nasser Hussain announced on commentary. "A perfect, probing delivery from Amir. A hint of late swing straight away. Rohit wisely shoulders arms. This is going to be a phenomenal battle."
The first ten overs were a quiet, gripping battle of attrition. The Pakistan fast bowlers—Amir and Hasan Ali—pitched the ball up continuously, desperately searching for the outside edge. Rohit and Dhawan played with immense, frustrating solidity. They took zero risks, leaving the wide swinging deliveries and presenting a dead, straight bat to the balls attacking the stumps.
Slowly, agonizingly for Pakistan, the opening partnership began to build.
By the 12th over, the initial venom of the new ball faded. Dhawan, sensing the shift in momentum, began to unleash his natural game.
14.3 Wahab Riaz to Shikhar Dhawan.
Wahab pitched it slightly short and wide, clocking 144 km/h. Dhawan rocked back instantly, opening the face of his bat, and slashed it fiercely over the point fielder. The ball rocketed across the outfield, bouncing once before hitting the boundary ropes.
"Shot! Utter disdain from Dhawan!" Harsha Bhogle praised. "He waited for the width and just punished it. The Indian openers are shifting gears here in Birmingham. They have weathered the storm, and now the sun is starting to shine on India's batting card!"
Rohit played the perfect supporting role, rotating the strike effortlessly and hitting the occasional elegant lofted drive down the ground. The Pakistan fielders threw themselves around to keep the pressure tight, but the Indian openers were in control.
They ran the singles hard. They moved the score past fifty, then past a hundred, completely silencing the Pakistani supporters in the stands. The partnership reached a magnificent 136 runs. It was a flawless foundation.
In the 25th over, Sarfaraz, looking desperate for a breakthrough, brought his young leg-spinner, Shadab Khan, into the attack.
Dhawan, looking to assert dominance over the spinner, decided to force the pace.
24.4 Shadab Khan to Shikhar Dhawan.
Shadab tossed the ball up beautifully, giving it plenty of flight and dip outside the off-stump. Dhawan danced down the track, aiming to launch a massive slog-sweep over deep mid-wicket.
But the ball dipped a fraction of a second earlier than he expected. He didn't get to the pitch of the ball. The shot caught the thick lower half of the bat, sending the ball swirling high into the grey sky.
Azhar Ali, stationed at deep mid-wicket, ran in, kept his eyes locked on the ball, and took a safe, tumbling catch.
"In the air... and he has thrown it away! Taken in the deep!" Ravi Shastri boomed over the speakers. "Shadab Khan provides the vital breakthrough! Dhawan tries to take him on but misjudges the flight entirely! A fantastic innings of 68 comes to an end, but Pakistan finally has an opening!"
Dhawan walked off the field to a standing ovation. India was 136 for 1.
Virat Kohli walked out to bat next, his face set in intense concentration.
Kohli took his time to gauge the pace of the pitch. He relied on his elite fitness, pushing the ball into the deep for hard-run singles and twos, allowing Rohit to take the lead role. Rohit brought up a flawless half-century, and the scoreboard continued to tick upward relentlessly.
But in the 33rd over, the weather finally broke.
Ominous, charcoal-grey clouds rolled heavily over the Edgbaston light towers. The ambient light dropped drastically. A sharp crack of thunder echoed across the stadium, and the rain began to fall in thick, heavy sheets.
The umpires immediately signaled for the covers. The groundsmen rushed onto the field with massive white tarpaulins, desperately protecting the pitch and the square.
The players sprinted back to the dressing rooms.
The rain delay was dragging on for nearly two hours. The fans remained stubbornly in the stands, donning colorful plastic ponchos and huddling under umbrellas. Inside the dressing rooms, the Pakistani bowlers sat in silence, the rain doing nothing to cool their simmering anger.
Finally, the clouds parted slightly. The umpires inspected the wet outfield and decided play could resume. However, due to the lengthy delay, the match was officially shortened from fifty overs to forty-eight overs per side.
Rohit and Kohli walked back out to the middle.
Knowing the overs were reduced and the DLS method would come into play, Rohit knew he had to accelerate instantly to push the total.
33.2 Wahab Riaz to Rohit Sharma.
Wahab stormed in, bowling a skiddy, heavy 145 km/h delivery angled into the stumps. Rohit, trying to force a boundary on the leg side, backed away to heave it over mid-wicket.
The wet ball skidded off the damp pitch, keeping slightly lower than expected. It bypassed Rohit's swinging bat entirely and crashed violently into the middle stump, sending it cartwheeling.
"Bowled him! Chopped on!" Nasser Hussain yelled on the broadcast. "The break in concentration costs Rohit Sharma! He tries to manufacture a shot that simply wasn't there, and Wahab Riaz strikes immediately after the rain break! A brilliant knock of 91 comes to a tragic end!"
Rohit walked back, deeply frustrated, having missed a well-deserved century.
The scoreboard read 192 for 2. Only 14 overs were remaining in the shortened innings.
Siddanth Deva picked up his bat, adjusted his gloves, and walked down the pavilion steps.
The stadium did not just cheer; it erupted into chaos. The Indian fans waved their tricolor flags frantically, the noise of the plastic horns reaching a deafening, vibrating pitch. The man who had mocked the opposition in the press conference was finally walking out to face them.
Up in the stands, sitting in a premium, glass-fronted hospitality area, Krithika was standing on the very edge of the VIP balcony, wearing a vibrant blue jersey with DEVA 6 printed boldly on the back, screaming his name at the top of her lungs, jumping up and down alongside Anjali.
Siddanth reached the center. He bumped gloves with Kohli. He tapped his bat on the wet ground and took his guard against Wahab Riaz.
33.4 Wahab Riaz to Siddanth Deva.
Wahab, his eyes burning with vengeance, bowled a full, searching delivery outside the off-stump at 144 km/h.
Siddanth planted his front foot, leaned into the shot, and drove the ball with effortless power through the covers. The ball pierced the infield and slammed into the boundary rope before the sweeper could even move a muscle.
"Shot! Absolute sheer class from the captain first ball!" Harsha Bhogle praised. "He leans into it and creams it through the covers like a tracer bullet! He is telling Pakistan right now: I am not going to take any time to settle in!"
The next few overs were a display of pure destruction. Siddanth didn't just hit the ball; he assaulted it.
36.2 Shadab Khan to Siddanth Deva.
Shadab tossed the ball up, hoping for turn. Siddanth danced three steps down the track, got to the pitch of the ball, and launched it with a sickening crack high over the long-on boundary. The ball landed in the second tier of the stands.
"He has hit that out of the county!" Sourav Ganguly cheered from the comm box. "Deva is treating the leg-spinner with contempt! He is seeing the ball like a football right now!"
---
In the 41st over, Mohammad Amir was brought back into the attack. He glared at Siddanth from the top of his mark. Siddanth was batting on 61 runs.
Amir steamed in and bowled a full delivery on the pads. Siddanth effortlessly flicked the ball through the gap at deep mid-wicket. The ball raced across the wet grass and hit the boundary rope.
Four runs.
"That boundary brings him to 65!" Ravi Shastri shouted enthusiastically into the microphone. "And with that, Siddanth Deva has officially matched Rahul Dravid's all-time international run tally! He is now tied as the second-highest run-scorer for India!"
Amir, deeply frustrated by the boundary, lost his discipline completely. He ignored his captain's advice. He hit the crease on the very next ball and violently dug the ball into the pitch, bowling a 148 km/h rising bouncer aimed directly at the badge on Siddanth's helmet.
Siddanth saw the short ball the millisecond it left Amir's hand. He didn't duck. He stayed incredibly tall in his crease, rolled his wrists with flawless control, and pulled the 148-click missile fiercely over the deep square leg boundary. The ball landed ten rows deep into the screaming Indian fans.
Six runs.
"He hooks him into the stands!" Ravi Shastri roared over the broadcast, his voice booming. "And the record is broken! Siddanth Deva passes Rahul Dravid! The Devil is catching up to the God!"
In the next over, Wahab Riaz tried the exact same tactic. He bowled a heavy, skiddy bouncer aimed tightly at the ribcage. Siddanth simply stepped slightly inside the line of the ball and hooked it beautifully over the fine leg fielder's head for another boundary.
"It's a bouncer barrage, but Deva is feasting on it!" Nasser Hussain yelled. "They are bowling with anger, as predicted!"
Hasan Ali was next. He too lost his discipline, pitching the ball short and wide. Siddanth slapped it brutally over point for another boundary.
The Pakistan pace battery had completely lost their temper. They kept bowling short, desperately trying to hit him, to intimidate him, entirely forgetting Sarfaraz's instructions about line and length.
Sarfaraz Ahmed threw his keeping gloves off in frustration. He sprinted from his position behind the stumps and stopped his fast bowlers in the middle of the pitch. He waved his hands frantically, screaming at them to calm down, demanding they pitch the ball up and bowl at the stumps.
It was too late. Siddanth had settled into his predatory, destructive rhythm.
He hit boundaries to all corners of the massive Edgbaston ground. He drove, he cut, he pulled, and he scooped. He raced through the eighties and into the nineties in a blur of violence.
46.5 Hasan Ali to Siddanth Deva.
Siddanth stepped out to a slower delivery, piercing the gap through extra cover. He and Kohli sprinted hard, completing a rapid double.
He had reached his century in just 39 balls. It was the fastest century in the history of the Champions Trophy.
The entire stadium stood up. The roar that echoed across Birmingham was deafening, a mixture of awe and triumphant celebration.
Siddanth took his helmet off. Sweat glistened on his forehead. He held his bat in his right hand.
He looked up at the towering stands. He found the specific glass-fronted VIP section.
He pointed the handle of his bat directly toward Krithika. He gave a flying kiss with the bat in her direction.
The television broadcast cameras, tracking his movement, instantly cut to the VIP box.
Krithika appeared on the massive stadium screens and millions of televisions worldwide. She was shrieking, waving the tricolor frantically, tears of pure adrenaline and pride streaming down her face as she caught the virtual kiss and blew one right back, completely ignoring the cameras locked onto her. Anjali, standing next to her, was screaming and clapping frantically.
"And the captain seals the fastest century with a kiss!" Ravi Shastri boomed lovingly over the broadcast. "He promised fireworks in the press conference, and he has delivered a masterclass today! Siddanth Deva is batting on a different planet right now!"
Siddanth strapped his helmet back on. The job wasn't finished.
The 48th and final over of the shortened innings began. Kohli took a quick single on the first ball, handing the strike back to his captain.
Siddanth faced the final delivery of the innings against Hasan Ali.
47.6 Hasan Ali to Siddanth Deva.
Hasan attempted a wide yorker to prevent a six. He missed his length by an inch, serving a low full toss outside the off-stump. Siddanth stepped forward, opened the face of his bat, and drove it with terrifying, unstoppable power past the diving sweeper cover fielder. The ball raced across the wet grass and slammed into the boundary rope.
The innings officially ended.
"What a finish! What an absolute demolition!" Harsha Bhogle summarized as the players walked off. "India finish on a staggering 365 for 2 in just 48 overs. Siddanth Deva came in and turned a solid foundation into an unreachable mountain. He has broken the Pakistani bowling attack physically and mentally."
Siddanth and Kohli walked off the field together, bumping gloves as the crowd gave them a thunderous standing ovation. Kohli finished with a brilliant, unbeaten 79 runs off 67 balls.
But it was Siddanth Deva who had stolen the show. His incredible, rapid-fire century had capitalized on the flawless foundation set by Rohit and Dhawan.
The first half of the marquee clash was over, and the Devil of Cricket had absolutely delivered on his promise.
----
The stadium in Birmingham was roaring. The Indian fans waved their flags and blew their plastic horns.
The television broadcast cut to the studio for the innings break.
"Welcome back, everyone," Harsha Bhogle said, looking into the camera. "We have just witnessed an absolute assault. India finishes on 365 runs in a 48-over game. It is a mountain of a target."
Sourav Ganguly shook his head, smiling in disbelief. "Siddanth Deva backed up his words today. He said in the press conference that this was just a warm-up game. And he batted exactly like it was a warm-up game. He completely destroyed the Pakistan fast bowlers. 122 runs in no time."
"It is a psychological blow, Sourav," Nasser Hussain added. "Pakistan came into this match angry. They bowled short. They tried to hit him. Siddanth Deva did not duck. He hit them into the stands. Now, the Pakistan batsmen have to walk out there and chase a required run rate of over seven runs per over from the very first ball against a very confident Indian bowling attack."
"Let's look at the pitch," Harsha said. "It has been under the covers during the rain delay. There will be moisture. The ball will swing for Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shami under these dark clouds."
"Pakistan needs a miracle," Ganguly concluded. "They need their openers to play the innings of their lives."
Inside the Indian dressing room, the mood was very focused. There was no loud celebration. They had only done half the job.
Siddanth took off his batting pads. He wiped his face with a towel and drank a bottle of water. He changed into a fresh blue fielding jersey.
MS Dhoni walked over to him. "The pitch is sweating under the clouds, Sid. The new ball will hoop around."
"We give them nothing," Siddanth replied, lacing up his bowling spikes. "We attack the stumps. No wide deliveries. If we make them play every ball, they will make mistakes."
Siddanth gathered his team near the door.
"Listen up," Siddanth told his players. His voice was calm but firm. "We have 365 on the board. The pressure is entirely on them. They will try to attack early to bring the run rate down. Do not panic if they hit a boundary. Keep the ball pitched up. Aim for the top of the off-stump. We choke them in the powerplay."
The players nodded. They jogged out of the dressing room and onto the green field of Edgbaston.
The crowd noise swelled again.
Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shehzad walked out to open the batting for Pakistan. They looked nervous. The scoreboard pressure was massive.
Siddanth stood near the pitch. He tossed the new white ball to Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
"Three slips and a gully," Siddanth instructed, moving his hands to arrange the fielders. He wanted a very aggressive field. He brought the mid-off and mid-on fielders inside the thirty-yard circle. He was inviting the batsmen to hit over the top, knowing the swinging ball would cause false shots.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar marked his run-up.
The second innings began.
0.1 Bhuvneshwar ran in. He bowled a perfect out-swinger on a good length. Azhar Ali watched it go past his bat. No run.
0.2 Bhuvneshwar bowled fuller. The ball swung in. Azhar pushed it to mid-on. No run.
0.3 Bhuvneshwar bowled on the off-stump. Azhar defended it. No run.
0.4 Bhuvneshwar bowled wide. Azhar cut the ball to point for a single.
"A very quiet start," Nasser Hussain noted on the broadcast. "Just one run from the first over. Bhuvneshwar is finding movement in the air immediately."
Mohammed Shami took the ball from the other end. Shami hit the pitch very hard.
1.1 Shami bowled a fast bouncer. Shehzad ducked under it.
1.2 Shami pitched it up. Shehzad drove the ball, but it hit the inside edge and rolled to square leg. No run.
1.3 Shami bowled a length ball on the middle stump. Shehzad flicked it for a single.
Pakistan was 2 for 0 after two overs. The required run rate was already climbing.
Siddanth clapped his hands from mid-off, encouraging his bowlers. "Keep it there! Make them play!"
Bhuvneshwar Kumar came in for his second over.
2.1 Bhuvneshwar bowled a length ball to Shehzad. Shehzad defended it.
2.2 Bhuvneshwar bowled slightly wider. Shehzad tried to cut the ball but missed.
2.3 Bhuvneshwar ran in and bowled a beautiful delivery. It started on the middle stump and swung away late toward the off-stump.
Ahmed Shehzad tried to push the ball down the ground. His feet did not move. The ball took a thick outside edge.
Virat Kohli, standing at second slip, dove to his right and caught the ball cleanly with both hands.
"Edged and taken!" Ravi Shastri shouted on the commentary. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar strikes early! The out-swinger does the trick. Shehzad is gone, and India has their first breakthrough!"
Ahmed Shehzad walked off the field for 1 run.
Pakistan was 2 for 1.
Up in the VIP box, Krithika jumped out of her seat. She waved her large Indian flag frantically, screaming at the top of her lungs. Anjali jumped up next to her.
"That is exactly what we needed!" Krithika cheered, her voice hoarse from shouting during the first innings.
Babar Azam walked out to bat at number three. He was Pakistan's best young batsman.
Bhuvneshwar finished his over quietly.
Mohammed Shami came in for his second over. Siddanth walked over to Shami before the over began.
"Hit the deck hard," Siddanth told Shami. "He likes to play on the front foot. Push him back with a bouncer, then bowl a full in-swinger."
Shami nodded.
3.1 Shami bowled a fast bouncer. Babar Azam ducked quickly.
3.2 Shami bowled a heavy length ball. Babar defended it off the back foot.
3.3 Shami ran in fast. He pitched the ball right up, aiming for the toes. The ball swung back in sharply through the air.
Babar Azam tried to bring his bat down to dig the ball out, but he was late. The ball hit his front pad directly in front of the middle stump.
The Indian players went up in a massive, loud appeal.
The umpire raised his finger immediately. LBW.
"Given out!" Harsha Bhogle announced. "Mohammed Shami gets the big wicket! Babar Azam is trapped right in front of the stumps. The plan works perfectly for India. Pakistan is in deep, deep trouble."
Babar Azam walked back to the dressing room for a duck.
Pakistan was 4 for 2.
The Pakistan dressing room looked stunned. The players sitting on the balcony stared blankly at the field.
Shoaib Malik walked out to bat. He was a veteran. He needed to build a partnership with Azhar Ali.
For the next few overs, Malik and Azhar Ali played very defensively. They respected the swinging ball. They took singles and tried to survive the new ball spell.
Bhuvneshwar and Shami bowled five overs each. They gave away very few runs. Pakistan was 35 for 2 at the end of ten overs. They needed 330 more runs from 38 overs.
Siddanth looked at the pitch. The fast bowlers had done their job. It was time for the spinners to choke the game completely.
He brought Kuldeep Yadav into the attack. Kuldeep was a left-arm wrist spinner. He was very difficult to read.
10.1 Kuldeep tossed the ball up. Azhar Ali defended it.
10.2 Kuldeep bowled a googly. Azhar read it and pushed it to cover. No run.
10.3 Kuldeep bowled a flatter ball. Azhar took a single to long-off.
10.4 Shoaib Malik was on strike. Kuldeep bowled a slow, loopy delivery outside the off-stump.
Shoaib Malik stepped down the pitch. He wanted to hit the ball over the extra cover boundary to break the pressure.
He did not reach the pitch of the ball. The ball spun away sharply, taking a thick outside edge.
The ball went high into the air toward short third man. Shami walked backward, settled under the ball, and caught it safely.
"Caught!" Sourav Ganguly yelled on the broadcast. "Shoaib Malik throws his wicket away! Kuldeep Yadav strikes in his very first over! Malik tries to take him on and fails completely. Pakistan loses their third wicket."
Shoaib Malik was out for 12 runs.
Pakistan was 38 for 3.
In the VIP box, Krithika was cheering again, clapping her hands above her head. "Yes! Keep taking wickets! Do not let them breathe!"
Sarfaraz Ahmed, the Pakistan captain, walked out to bat. He had told his bowlers to stay calm in the dressing room earlier. Now, he had to save his team on the pitch.
Siddanth brought Ravindra Jadeja into the attack from the other end. Jadeja was a left-arm finger spinner. He bowled very fast and very flat. He did not give the batsmen any time to step out of their crease.
11.1 Jadeja bowled a fast dart to Azhar Ali. Azhar defended it.
11.2 Jadeja bowled on the pads. Azhar flicked it for a single.
11.3 Sarfaraz was on strike. Jadeja bowled a flat delivery on the off-stump. Sarfaraz pushed it to point. No run.
11.4 Jadeja bowled quicker. Sarfaraz defended it from the crease.
11.5 Jadeja bowled an arm-ball. It drifted in with the angle.
Sarfaraz tried to play a cut shot, thinking the ball would spin away. The ball did not spin. It went straight, missed his bat entirely, and hit the off-stump.
"Bowled him!" Ravi Shastri roared. "Ravindra Jadeja with the arm-ball! Sarfaraz Ahmed is completely beaten by the pace. The Pakistan captain is gone! It is an absolute procession out there in Birmingham!"
Sarfaraz walked off for 2 runs.
Pakistan was 45 for 4.
The match was turning into a demolition.
Siddanth did not relax his field settings. He kept a slip fielder for both spinners. He wanted more wickets.
Imad Wasim walked out to bat. He and Azhar Ali tried to push the ball for singles. They survived for a few overs, taking the score to 60 for 4.
In the 16th over, Kuldeep Yadav was bowling to Azhar Ali. Azhar was batting on 25 runs. He was the only batsman showing any resistance.
15.4 Kuldeep bowled a wrong-un. It was a well-disguised delivery that spun into the right-hander.
Azhar Ali leaned forward to defend. The ball spun sharply between his bat and pad. It hit his back pad.
The Indian team appealed loudly. The umpire raised his finger.
Azhar Ali asked for a review.
The big screen showed the replay. The ball pitched in line, the impact was in line, and the ball tracking showed it hitting the middle of the middle stump.
"Out!" the third umpire announced on the screen.
"Kuldeep Yadav gets his second wicket!" Harsha Bhogle said. "Azhar Ali is gone. The last recognized top-order batsman is back in the pavilion. Pakistan has lost half their side for just 62 runs."
Pakistan was 62 for 5.
The lower middle order was exposed.
Siddanth decided to bring his fast bowlers back to finish the game quickly. He gave the ball to Mohammed Shami.
Shami ran in hard. He was full of energy.
16.1 Shami bowled a fast, full delivery to Imad Wasim. Imad drove it straight to the cover fielder. No run.
16.2 Shami bowled a bouncer. Imad pulled the ball. It went high in the air toward deep square leg.
Hardik Pandya ran forward, dove forward, and caught the ball inches above the grass.
"Brilliant catch by Hardik Pandya!" Nasser Hussain yelled. "Shami returns and takes a wicket immediately! Pakistan is falling apart like a house of cards."
Imad Wasim was out for 5 runs.
Pakistan was 65 for 6.
Shadab Khan walked out to bat. He was a young leg-spinner, not a frontline batsman.
16.3 Shami bowled a fast, reverse-swinging yorker aimed at the base of the stumps.
Shadab tried to bring his bat down, but he was completely late. The ball shattered his stumps.
"Back-to-back wickets for Mohammed Shami!" Sourav Ganguly shouted. "He cleans up Shadab Khan with a beautiful yorker. Shami is on a hat-trick!"
Shadab Khan was out for a golden duck.
Pakistan was 65 for 7.
Mohammad Amir walked out to bat. He managed to defend the hat-trick ball from Shami.
The match was slipping away incredibly fast. The Indian fans in the stadium were singing and dancing.
Siddanth stood at mid-off. He looked at the scoreboard. Pakistan needed 300 runs to win, and they only had three wickets left.
Siddanth took his cap off and handed it to the umpire.
"And here comes the captain," Harsha Bhogle announced on the broadcast. "Siddanth Deva brings himself into the attack. He scored 122 runs in the first innings, and now he wants to finish the game with the ball."
Siddanth marked his run-up. He set an aggressive field. Three slips, a gully, a short leg, and a silly point. He had six fielders surrounding the batsman. It was a Test match field in a one-day game.
Mohammad Amir was on strike. He remembered Siddanth's words from the press conference. Amir looked nervous.
20.1 Siddanth ran in. He didn't jog. He sprinted. He hit the crease with massive energy.
He bowled a 155 km/h bouncer, aimed directly at the chest.
Amir took his eyes off the ball and fended at it blindly with his bat. The ball hit the handle of the bat and popped up straight into the air.
Rohit Sharma, standing at gully, ran forward and took an easy catch.
"Caught!" Ravi Shastri roared. "Siddanth Deva strikes on his very first ball! Pure, terrifying pace! Mohammad Amir cannot handle the heat. Pakistan is eight down!"
Amir walked off the field quickly. He was out for 2 runs.
Pakistan was 70 for 8.
Hasan Ali walked out to bat.
20.2 Siddanth ran in again. He bowled a 148 km/h fast yorker on the middle stump.
Hasan Ali barely got his bat down in time. He dug the ball out. No run.
20.3 Siddanth bowled a good length ball. It nipped back in off the seam. Hasan Ali missed the ball, and it hit his pads. A loud appeal, but the umpire said not out. The ball was going over the stumps.
20.4 Siddanth ran in and bowled a fast, full delivery just outside the off-stump.
Hasan Ali tried to drive the ball through the covers. The ball took a thick outside edge.
MS Dhoni dove to his right and caught the ball cleanly in his webbing.
"Edged and taken!" Sunil Gavaskar yelled. "Siddanth Deva gets his second wicket in the over! A beautiful delivery that just leaves the batsman. Pakistan loses their ninth wicket!"
Hasan Ali was out for zero.
Pakistan was 72 for 9.
In the VIP box, Krithika was waving her flag so hard it was a blur. "One more! Just one more!" she screamed, pointing at Siddanth on the field. Anjali was hugging her, jumping up and down.
Wahab Riaz walked out as the final batsman. He was the bowler who had tried to bounce Siddanth in the first innings and had been hit for multiple boundaries.
Wahab took his guard. He looked at Siddanth.
Siddanth did not smile. He did not say a word. He just stared coldly at the batsman.
20.5 Siddanth bowled a fast bouncer. Wahab ducked under it.
20.6 Siddanth bowled a slower off-cutter. Wahab swung his bat early and missed it completely. The ball missed the stumps by an inch.
The twenty-first over ended. Siddanth had taken two wickets and given away zero runs.
The match dragged on for a few more overs. Wahab Riaz and Junaid Khan swung their bats blindly, trying to hit boundaries. They managed to hit a few lucky edges that went for four runs.
Siddanth let Bhuvneshwar and Jadeja bowl a few overs. They did not take the final wicket.
The score reached 105 for 9.
Siddanth decided to end the game. He took the ball for the 30th over.
It was the 29.4 over. Wahab Riaz was on strike.
Siddanth marked his run-up. The stadium crowd stood up and started clapping their hands in a slow, rhythmic beat. They knew the end was near.
Siddanth ran in. He put all his energy into his shoulder. He did not aim for the edge. He did not try to swing the ball. He aimed for the base of the middle stump.
He bowled a 153 km/h inswinging yorker.
It was a missile.
Wahab Riaz tried to bring his bat down to dig it out. The ball bypassed his bat entirely. It crashed violently into the middle stump, breaking the stump out of the ground and sending it cartwheeling backward.
The red lights flashed brightly on the broken stumps.
"BOWLED HIM!" Ravi Shastri screamed into the microphone, his voice echoing over the roaring stadium. "SIDDANTH DEVA FINISHES IT OFF IN STYLE! THE MIDDLE STUMP IS OUT OF THE GROUND! PAKISTAN IS ALL OUT FOR 105 RUNS! INDIA WINS BY A MASSIVE MARGIN OF 260 RUNS! AN ABSOLUTE DEMOLITION JOB IN BIRMINGHAM!"
The Indian players threw their arms up and cheered loudly. Virat Kohli ran from the slip position and jumped onto Siddanth's back, hugging him tightly. MS Dhoni walked over and patted him on the head.
"What an unbelievable victory," Harsha Bhogle said on the broadcast, his voice full of awe. "They did not just beat Pakistan today. They completely destroyed them. Siddanth Deva scored 122 runs and took 3 wickets. It is one of the greatest all-round performances in the history of the Champions Trophy."
Up in the VIP box, Krithika was screaming with joy. She hugged her sister. She waved her Indian flag outside the glass window, making sure Siddanth could see her.
Down on the pitch, Siddanth looked up at the VIP box. He saw her jumping and waving the flag. He smiled, he raised his hand and waved back at her.
The two teams walked off the field. The Indian players shook hands with the Pakistan players. The Pakistan players looked defeated. Their captain, Sarfaraz, shook Siddanth's hand respectfully. They knew they had been outplayed in every single department.
The television broadcast cut to a commercial break, showing highlights of Siddanth's massive sixes and his final cartwheeling wicket.
When the broadcast returned, the post-match presentation was set up on the field.
Ravi Shastri stood holding a microphone, looking very happy.
"What an incredible start to the Champions Trophy for India," Ravi's voice echoed across the stadium. "A massive victory. Let's call up the Man of the Match, for his brilliant 122 not out with the bat and 3 wickets for just 12 runs with the ball—the Indian captain, Siddanth Deva!"
The crowd chanted his name as he walked up the stairs to the presentation stage.
Ravi handed over the trophy with a wide smile. "Sid, first of all, congratulations on becoming the second-highest run-scorer for India. How does that feel?"
Siddanth took the microphone. "Honestly, Ravi bhai? It feels great, but I think I'm enjoying the three wickets more today. Uprooting stumps takes a whole lot less running between the wickets."
Ravi let out a booming laugh, and Siddanth joined in with a relaxed chuckle.
"Well, it certainly showed today," Ravi continued, the amusement still in his voice. "You scored 122 runs, India posted 365, and then you bowled them out for 105. You mentioned in the press conference a few days ago that this was just a regular warm-up game. You absolutely backed up those words today."
Siddanth adjusted his grip on the trophy, his expression calm and focused.
"I just spoke the facts," Siddanth replied smoothly. "I look at the statistics, and we have a very strong team. Rohit and Shikhar gave us a perfect foundation with their 136-run partnership, and Virat finished the innings brilliantly. When you have a start like that, batting becomes easy."
"And your bowling attack was just as ruthless," Ravi noted. "You set very aggressive fields right from the start."
"When you have 365 runs on the board, you don't need to defend boundaries," Siddanth explained. "You attack the stumps. Bhuvi and Shami took early wickets, and Kuldeep and Jadeja choked the middle order. The bowlers executed the plans perfectly."
"You made a huge statement today, Sid," Ravi concluded. "Congratulations on the win. Go celebrate with your team."
Siddanth thanked him and walked back to his waiting teammates. They gathered around the presentation board for the cameras, smiling and hoisting the trophy.
The match was over, and the rivalry had been settled on the pitch. The Indian team walked back to the dressing room, confident and ready for the rest of the tournament.
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@CricFanatic99: 365 runs and bowled them out for 105. This wasn't a match. This was an execution.
@BleedBlueArmy: Deva said it was a warm-up game. Then he treated their bowlers like net practice. The arrogance of the man, and he backed it up!
@Pak_Cricket_Tears: I am turning off my television. Please don't beat us anymore. 😭
@ViratGang: Kohli's 79 off 67 balls was beautiful, but Deva's century in 39 balls was just pure violence.
@CricketShitpost: Pakistan bowlers trying to bounce Deva. Deva: "So you have chosen death." ☠️
@HarshaBhogle (Verified): The gap between these two teams has never looked wider. India is playing cricket on a completely different level right now.
@DesiMomDaily: My mother just said, "Look at Siddanth, he scored a century and still had energy to bowl. And you get tired walking to the fridge." Thanks, Sid.
@PaceIsPace: 153 km/h to uproot the middle stump to finish the game. The visual of that stump flying is cinematic.
@GlobalCricStats: Siddanth Deva has entered the top 6 all-time international run-scorers list! He sits at No. 6 with 24,242 runs. Just behind Jacques Kallis who is in 5th place with 25,534 runs! 📈🐐
@HarshaBhogle (Verified): The gap between these two teams has never looked wider. India is playing cricket on a completely different level right now.
@DesiMomDaily: My mother just said, "Look at Siddanth, he scored a century and still had energy to bowl. And you get tired walking to the fridge." Thanks, Sid.
@PaceIsPace: 153 km/h to uproot the middle stump to finish the game. The visual of that stump flying is cinematic.
@ShoaibAkhtar_Fan: This is embarrassing. Our fast bowlers have forgotten how to bowl on English pitches. Deva showed them how to bowl straight.
@MemeCentral_Pak: Indian fans coming to Twitter after the match.
Image of an army marching with fire
@BCCI_Updates: A massive 260-run victory! Team India starts their Champions Trophy campaign with total dominance.
@WristSpinMagic: Kuldeep Yadav deceiving Shoaib Malik with that flighted delivery. Wrist spin is magical.
@GullyCricketGod: Deva really said "I was 16 years old when you last beat us" and then proved it on the field. The disrespect is legendary.
@Karachi_Kings_Fan: We need to rebuild our entire cricket structure. This team cannot compete with India anymore.
@CricHistory_Hub: Deva is now 6th on the all-time international run-scorers list. He is chasing Jacques Kallis who sits in 5th position with 25,534 runs. The gap is closing fast. The Devil is coming for the top 5! 🐐
@ViratGang: Breaking Dravid's record while destroying Pakistan in a Champions Trophy match. 24,242 runs and counting. He makes greatness look like a daily routine.
@ShoaibAkhtar_Fan: This is embarrassing. Our fast bowlers have forgotten how to bowl on English pitches. Deva showed them how to bowl straight.
@IndianSports_Hub: 122 runs and 3 wickets. Man of the Match. The Devil of Cricket.
@AshwinRavi_FC: The spinners didn't even need to bowl their full quota. The fast bowlers finished the job early.
@BabarAzam_Squad: Babar getting out for a duck against Shami hurts. The ball swung too much.
@FanGirl_Sid: He took his helmet off and gave a flying kiss to Krithika after his century. We are crying! 😭❤️
@Pakistani_Troll: It was a lucky day for India. The rain helped them.
@Indian_Troll: Yes, the rain helped Deva hit 9 sixes. Keep crying. 😂
@FastBowling_Fan: Shami and Bhuvi swinging the new ball under the clouds. Beautiful fast bowling.
@MemeLordIndia: Pakistan captain telling his players to stay calm in the dressing room. Pakistan players on the field: [Image of a dog sitting in a room on fire saying "This is fine"].
@Desi_Humor: Finding a Pakistan fan defending their team today is impossible. They have all gone underground.
@BCCI_Insider: A 260-run victory is a massive boost to the Net Run Rate. India is almost guaranteed a semi-final spot already.
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Siddanth Deva Match Statistics:
Batting: 122 Not Out (39 Balls).
Bowling: 3.4 Overs, 1 Maiden, 12 Runs, 3 Wickets. Economy: 3.27.