The Oval stadium in London was a complete sea of colors. Half the stadium wore blue jerseys, and the other half wore green. The noise was constant and deafening. Flags waved in every corner of the stands. Horns blew loudly.
It was the final of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. India versus Pakistan. The biggest rivalry in the sport, taking place on the biggest stage.
Up in the premium VIP hospitality box, the families of the players took their seats. The glass windows reduced the noise slightly, but they could still feel the energy of the crowd.
Krithika sat in the front row. She wore a wearing a loose blue Indian t-shirt and a white jacket over her jeans. Anjali sat right next to her, holding her phone and taking videos of the packed stadium. Sakshi Dhoni and Ritika Sajdeh sat in the chairs beside them, talking quietly.
"The crowd is much louder today than in Birmingham," Ritika noted, looking out at the field. "The stands are completely full."
"It is a final against Pakistan," Sakshi said simply. "The pressure is always higher."
Krithika looked down at the green field. She saw the Indian players warming up near the boundary rope. She saw Siddanth talking to the fast bowlers. He looked calm, showing no signs of stress.
Down on the pitch, the broadcast cameras were ready.
"Welcome to The Oval," Harsha Bhogle announced over the television feed. "This is the moment we have all been waiting for. The ICC Champions Trophy Final. India taking on Pakistan. The atmosphere here in London is incredible."
"It is the perfect setting for a final, Harsha," Sourav Ganguly added from the commentary box. "The sun is shining, the pitch looks very good for batting, and the crowd is ready. Let's go down to the middle for the toss."
Ravi Shastri stood in the center of the pitch holding a microphone. Siddanth Deva and Sarfaraz Ahmed, the two captains, stood with him.
"I have the two captains with me," Ravi Shastri announced to the stadium. "Siddanth has the coin. Sarfaraz, you call."
Siddanth flipped the coin high into the air."Tails," Sarfaraz called out.
The coin landed on the pitch.
"It is heads," Ravi Shastri said. "India wins the toss."
Ravi turned to Siddanth. "Siddanth, you won the toss in a massive final. What are you going to do?"
"We will bowl first, Ravi bhai," Siddanth said smoothly. "The pitch looks very good, but it is a bit early in the morning. Our fast bowlers can use the new ball to get some early swing. We like chasing targets. We know our strengths."
"Any changes to the team today?" Ravi asked.
"Just one, Shami is back in the squad for Bumrah," Siddanth replied.
Ravi turned to the Pakistan captain. "Sarfaraz, you have to bat first. Are you ready?"
"We wanted to bat first anyway," Sarfaraz said. "It is a final. We want to put runs on the board and apply pressure. We have a good team today."
The captains shook hands and walked back to their dressing rooms.
A few minutes later, the umpires walked out to the middle. The Indian team ran onto the field. They formed a quick huddle near the pitch. Siddanth spoke to them briefly, pointing to the fielding positions.
Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zaman walked out to open the batting for Pakistan.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar took the new white ball. He marked his run-up.
The final began.
0.1 Bhuvneshwar ran in and bowled a good length delivery on the off-stump. Azhar Ali left it alone. No run.
0.2 Bhuvneshwar bowled fuller. The ball swung slightly. Azhar defended it with a straight bat. No run.
0.3 Bhuvneshwar bowled on the pads. Azhar flicked it to square leg for a single. Pakistan was off the mark.
Mohammed Shami took the ball from the other end for the second over. He bowled fast, hitting the pitch hard. Fakhar Zaman played very carefully. He did not swing his bat hard. He watched the ball closely and defended.
For the first ten overs, the Pakistan opening batsmen played with extreme caution. They knew that losing early wickets to Bhuvneshwar or Shami would ruin their chances in the final. They left the wide balls alone. They pushed the full balls to mid-off and mid-on for quick singles. They did not take any risks.
They only hit boundaries when the bowlers offered very loose deliveries on the pads.
By the end of the tenth over, Pakistan was 45 for 0.
"A very sensible start by Pakistan," Nasser Hussain noted on the commentary. "They have not lost a wicket in the first ten overs. They survived the swinging ball. Now they can start building a big score."
"India needs a wicket," Sourav Ganguly agreed. "Azhar and Fakhar are looking settled. If they stay until the twentieth over, they will set a great platform."
Siddanth stood at mid-off. He looked at the batsmen. They were playing well. The fast bowlers had not broken through. He decided it was time to change the pace.
He took his cap off and handed it to the umpire.
"The Indian captain is bringing himself into the attack," Harsha Bhogle announced. "Siddanth Deva takes the ball for the eleventh over. He wants to break this partnership."
Siddanth set his field. He brought fine leg inside the circle. He pushed mid-wicket back to the boundary.
He marked his run-up. Azhar Ali was on strike.
10.1 Siddanth ran in and bowled a fast length ball on the off-stump. Azhar defended it straight down the pitch. No run.
10.2 Siddanth bowled slightly wider. Azhar pushed it to point. No run.
10.3 Siddanth bowled a fast bouncer. Azhar ducked under it safely. No run.
10.4 Siddanth bowled a full delivery. Azhar drove it to extra cover for a single.
Fakhar Zaman was on strike.
10.5 Siddanth bowled a fast ball aiming at the leg stump. Fakhar flicked it to deep square leg for a single.
10.6 Siddanth bowled a length ball to Azhar. Azhar defended it. No run.
Siddanth's first over gave away only two runs. He bowled fast and kept his line tight.
He bowled his second over in the thirteenth over of the innings. He gave away four runs, keeping the batsmen quiet. They were struggling to find gaps against his speed.
It was the fifteenth over of the innings. This was Siddanth's third over.
Azhar Ali was on strike. He was batting on 35 runs. He looked very solid.
14.1 Siddanth ran in and bowled a fast delivery on the pads. Azhar flicked it for a single.
14.2 Fakhar Zaman pushed a length ball to cover for a single.
14.3 Azhar was back on strike. Siddanth bowled a sharp bouncer. Azhar tried to pull it but missed. No run.
14.4 Siddanth bowled a full delivery outside the off-stump. Azhar stepped forward and drove the ball past the point fielder for two runs.
Siddanth walked back to his mark. He looked at Azhar. Azhar was trying to attack the wide balls.
14.5 Siddanth ran in fast. He did not bowl wide. He bowled a fast, heavy delivery that pitched on a good length just outside the off-stump.
Azhar Ali stayed on his back foot. He tried to push the ball through the off-side.
The ball bounced slightly higher than Azhar expected. It moved away from him very late. The ball took a thick outside edge of the bat.
MS Dhoni moved quickly to his right and caught the ball cleanly in his gloves.
The Indian players went up in a loud appeal. The umpire raised his finger immediately.
"Caught behind!" Ravi Shastri roared on the broadcast. "Siddanth Deva provides the breakthrough! He bowls a beautiful delivery that takes the outside edge. Azhar Ali has to go! The captain delivers exactly when India needed a wicket!"
In the VIP box, Krithika jumped up from her seat. She clapped her hands loudly. Anjali cheered next to her.
Azhar Ali walked off the field for 37 runs. Pakistan was 65 for 1. The opening partnership was finally broken.
Babar Azam walked out to bat at number three. He was their best young batsman.
Siddanth finished his spell and brought his spinners into the attack. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja took the ball from opposite ends.
Fakhar Zaman decided it was time to attack. He did not let the spinners settle. He used his feet well, stepping down the pitch to hit Kuldeep for boundaries over mid-wicket. He swept Jadeja fiercely.
Babar Azam supported him well, taking singles and giving the strike to Fakhar.
The partnership grew quickly. Fakhar reached his half-century. He raised his bat to the crowd. He continued to play aggressive shots, pushing the Pakistan score past 130.
Siddanth brought Kuldeep back for a new spell in the twenty-fifth over.
24.2 Kuldeep bowled a tossed-up delivery to Fakhar. Fakhar stepped out and hit it for a boundary.
24.3 Kuldeep bowled a flatter ball. Fakhar defended it.
24.4 Kuldeep tossed the ball up again, but this time he bowled a googly.
Fakhar did not read the spin. He tried to play a big sweep shot. The ball spun the other way, missed his bat entirely, and hit his front pad.
The umpire raised his finger for LBW.
"Out!" Harsha Bhogle called out. "Kuldeep Yadav gets his revenge! The googly does the trick. Fakhar Zaman played a brilliant innings, but he is gone now."
Fakhar Zaman walked back for a very well-made 82 runs. Pakistan was 145 for 2.
Shoaib Malik walked out to bat. He was a veteran player with a lot of experience against India.
Siddanth brought Hardik Pandya into the attack to bowl some medium pace.
Hardik ran in hard. He hit the deck heavily. In his second over, he bowled a short, wide delivery to Babar Azam.
Babar tried to cut the ball over the point fielder. The ball hit the upper part of the bat and went straight to Ravindra Jadeja standing at backward point. Jadeja caught it easily.
"Another wicket falls!" Sourav Ganguly said. "Hardik Pandya strikes! Babar Azam hits it straight to the fielder. Pakistan loses their third wicket."
Babar Azam was out for 46 runs. Pakistan was 160 for 3.
Mohammad Hafeez joined Shoaib Malik. The two experienced players tried to rebuild the innings. They played carefully against the spinners and picked up singles. They took the score past 200 by the thirty-eighth over.
Shoaib Malik started hitting boundaries against Hardik Pandya. He wanted to push the total near 300.
Siddanth brought Bhuvneshwar Kumar back to bowl in the death overs.
Bhuvneshwar bowled his slow cutters perfectly. In the forty-second over, he bowled a very slow, wide delivery to Shoaib Malik. Malik swung his bat hard but mistimed the shot completely. The ball went high in the air. Virat Kohli took a safe catch at long-off.
"Caught!" Nasser Hussain announced. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar uses the change of pace perfectly. Shoaib Malik is gone."
Pakistan was 225 for 4.
Sarfaraz Ahmed, the captain, walked out to bat. He and Hafeez tried to score quickly in the final few overs. They hit a few boundaries, pushing the score past 260.
Siddanth took the ball for the forty-seventh over. He wanted to finish the innings strongly.
46.1 Siddanth bowled a fast yorker to Sarfaraz. Sarfaraz dug it out for a single.
46.2 Siddanth bowled a bouncer to Hafeez. Hafeez pulled it to deep square leg for a single.
46.3 Siddanth ran in and bowled a fast, full delivery aimed directly at the base of the off-stump.
Sarfaraz tried to step away and hit the ball through the off-side. The ball was too fast. It crashed into the off-stump, knocking it back.
"Bowled him!" Ravi Shastri roared. "Siddanth Deva with a perfect fast delivery! Sarfaraz is completely beaten by the pace."
Sarfaraz walked off for 15 runs. Pakistan was 270 for 5.
Imad Wasim walked out to bat.
Siddanth bowled the next ball to Imad. It was a sharp bouncer. Imad tried to pull it. The ball hit his gloves and went straight up in the air. MS Dhoni ran forward and caught it easily.
"Two wickets in two balls!" Harsha Bhogle yelled. "The Indian captain is on a hat-trick! He removes Imad Wasim instantly."
Pakistan was 270 for 6.
Shadab Khan walked out to face the hat-trick ball. Siddanth bowled a fast yorker. Shadab managed to get his bat down and defend it.
Kuldeep Yadav bowled the forty-ninth over. He bowled a tossed-up delivery to Mohammad Hafeez. Hafeez tried to hit a big shot over mid-wicket but missed. The ball hit his stumps.
"Kuldeep gets his second wicket!" Sourav Ganguly noted. "Hafeez is bowled. The Pakistan lower order is crumbling."
Pakistan was 285 for 7.
Mohammed Shami bowled the final over of the innings. He gave away seven runs, bowling tight yorkers.
The Pakistan innings ended.
They scored 292 for 7 in their fifty overs.
The Indian players walked off the field. They looked satisfied with their bowling effort in the final ten overs.
The broadcast showed the bowling figures during the innings break.
"It is a very good total for a final," Nasser Hussain said in the studio. "292 runs will put pressure on the Indian batsmen. Fakhar Zaman played a wonderful innings today."
"The Indian bowlers did well to pull things back in the end," Sunil Gavaskar added. "Siddanth Deva taking those two quick wickets stopped Pakistan from crossing 310. It was a good bowling performance."
---
The thirty-minute innings break felt incredibly short. The stadium was buzzing with nervous energy. Chasing 293 runs in a major final against a strong Pakistan bowling attack was not going to be easy.
In the broadcast studio, the commentators were ready for the second innings.
"Welcome back to The Oval," Harsha Bhogle announced. "Pakistan has set a very challenging target of 293 runs. The Indian openers, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, are walking out to the middle. The pressure is on India now."
"It all depends on the start," Sourav Ganguly added. "Mohammad Amir will take the new ball for Pakistan. If he gets some early swing, the Indian top order will have to be very careful."
Rohit Sharma took his guard. Mohammad Amir stood at the top of his run-up. The crowd cheered loudly as the umpire signaled the start of the innings.
0.1 Amir ran in and bowled a fast delivery, pitching it just outside the off-stump. The ball swung away slightly. Rohit left it alone. No run.
0.2 Amir bowled a similar delivery, hitting a good length. Rohit pushed it toward the point fielder. No run.
0.3 Amir ran in fast. He changed his angle. He bowled a very fast, full delivery that swung sharply back into the right-hander.
Rohit Sharma tried to flick the ball to the leg side. His bat came down late. The ball completely beat his defense and crashed directly into his front pad.
The Pakistan team went up in a massive, loud appeal. The umpire raised his finger immediately. LBW.
"Given!" Ravi Shastri roared on the commentary. "Mohammad Amir strikes in the very first over! An incredible in-swinging delivery. Rohit Sharma has to go for a duck. What a start for Pakistan!"
Rohit Sharma reviewed the decision, but the ball tracking showed it was hitting the middle stump perfectly. He walked off the field after playing just two balls.
India was 0 for 1.
Virat Kohli walked out to bat at number three. He looked very focused. He managed to push his first ball for a single to get off the mark.
For the next few overs, Kohli and Dhawan tried to build a partnership. They played cautiously against Amir and Junaid Khan. Kohli hit two very good boundaries through the covers, showing his intent.
However, in the sixth over, Amir returned.
5.3 Amir bowled a fast delivery slanting across the off-stump.
Kohli tried to play a solid defensive push. The ball bounced slightly higher than he expected and caught the thick outside edge of his bat. Shadab Khan, standing at point, dove to his right and took a sharp catch.
"Edged and taken!" Nasser Hussain shouted. "Mohammad Amir is tearing through the Indian top order! Virat Kohli is gone for just 10 runs. India is in deep, deep trouble."
India was 25 for 2. The stadium went completely silent. The Indian fans looked worried.
Siddanth Deva picked up his bat and walked down the pavilion steps.
As soon as he stepped onto the grass, the silence in the stadium broke. The Indian fans stood up and started cheering loudly, finding hope in their captain.
Krithika sat in the VIP box, wearing a loose blue Indian t-shirt and a white jacket over her jeans. She clapped her hands, watching him walk to the middle. Anjali, wearing her blue jersey, cheered next to her.
Siddanth walked to the pitch. He walked straight over to Shikhar Dhawan.
"The ball is moving. Do not play risky shots. Do not try to hit boundaries in the air. We just need to rotate the strike and build a partnership. Push the ball into the gaps."
Dhawan nodded his head. "Understood, Sid."
Siddanth took his guard. He faced Amir. He played the rest of the over defensively, letting the wide balls go and pushing the straight ones back down the pitch.
For the next ten overs, Siddanth and Dhawan played very sensible cricket. Siddanth took the majority of the strike. He did not let the Pakistan bowlers settle. When they bowled short, he pulled them along the ground for singles. When they bowled full, he drove them straight for boundaries.
Dhawan followed his captain's instructions. He played carefully, supporting Siddanth and rotating the strike.
They built a very solid fifty-run partnership. The score reached 75 for 2. The Indian fans started to relax.
In the fifteenth over, Hasan Ali came into the attack.
14.4 Hasan Ali bowled a good length delivery just outside the off-stump.
Dhawan tried to defend it with a straight bat. The ball nipped away slightly off the seam. It caught the faintest outside edge of the bat. Sarfaraz Ahmed, the wicketkeeper, caught the ball safely in his gloves.
The Pakistan players appealed. The umpire raised his finger.
"Caught behind!" Harsha Bhogle announced. "Hasan Ali breaks the partnership. Shikhar Dhawan gets a faint edge. He was looking settled, but he has to walk back now."
Siddanth stood at the non-striker's end. He let out a slow breath and simply shook his head. Dhawan had played well, but the edge was unfortunate.
Dhawan was out. India was 75 for 3.
Yuvraj Singh walked out to bat at number five. He met Siddanth in the middle of the pitch.
"Take your time, Yuvi paaji," Siddanth said. "We have plenty of overs left."
Yuvraj nodded. He looked in good touch. He hit a beautiful straight drive off Hasan Ali to get off the mark.
Siddanth and Yuvraj began to build another partnership. Yuvraj played some classic shots, hitting Shadab Khan for a massive six over mid-wicket. Siddanth kept the scoreboard moving, finding gaps on the off-side and running hard between the wickets.
They pushed the score past 120.
In the twenty-second over, Yuvraj was batting on 22 runs. Shadab Khan was bowling.
21.3 Shadab bowled a tossed-up leg-break.
Yuvraj stepped forward and tried to play a flick shot to the leg side. The ball spun sharply, beat the inside edge of his bat, and hit his front pad.
A loud appeal followed. The umpire raised his finger for LBW.
"Given out!" Sourav Ganguly called out. "Shadab Khan gets the big wicket of Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj scored a quick 22 runs, but the spin traps him. India loses their fourth wicket."
India was 128 for 4. The target was 293. They still needed 165 runs.
MS Dhoni walked out to bat. The crowd cheered for the veteran player.
Siddanth walked up to Dhoni before he took his guard.
"Play defensive, Mahi bhai," Siddanth told him. "Do not attack the spinners. Just defend the good balls and give me the strike. We need to stay in the middle until the fortieth over."
"I know," Dhoni said calmly.
But the pressure of the final was heavy. The required run rate was climbing.
Dhoni tried to push the ball around, but the Pakistan fielders were very sharp. They stopped the singles. In the twenty-fifth over, Hasan Ali bowled a short, rising delivery. Dhoni tried to pull it to the boundary to break the pressure. He did not hit it perfectly. The ball went straight to the deep square leg fielder, who took a simple catch.
"Caught in the deep!" Ravi Shastri roared. "MS Dhoni is gone! He tries to clear the boundary but finds the fielder. Pakistan is taking wickets at regular intervals. India is falling apart here."
Siddanth stood at the non-striker's end, leaning on his bat. He watched Dhoni walk away.
Ravindra Jadeja walked out to bat.
Jadeja did not last long. Three overs later, he tried to cut a wide ball from Junaid Khan. The ball caught the edge and was caught safely by the slip fielder.
India was 152 for 6.
Siddanth stood at the non-striker's end. He watched batsman after batsman walk out to the middle, play a few shots, and get out. The top order was gone. The middle order was gone. The situation was looking very grim.
Hardik Pandya walked out to bat. He was the last recognized batsman in the team. After him, it was only the pure bowlers.
Hardik took his guard.
Siddanth walked over to him. He did not give a long speech.
"Do not throw your wicket away, Hardik," Siddanth said simply. "Block the good balls. Give me the strike. Let me handle the scoring."
Hardik nodded seriously. "Okay, Sid bhai."
The score was 152 for 6. The target was 293. India needed 141 more runs to win.
Siddanth decided it was time to take complete control of the match. He could not rely on the other end anymore. He had to finish this himself.
He shifted his stance. He gripped his bat tightly.
The Pakistan captain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, knew Siddanth was the only threat left. He brought his best fast bowlers back into the attack. He told them to attack Siddanth directly.
Mohammad Amir ran in and bowled a fast, in-swinging yorker aiming directly at Siddanth's toes.
Siddanth brought his bat down with perfect timing and flicked the fast yorker past the short fine-leg fielder for a boundary.
Hasan Ali tried a different tactic. He bowled a sharp, high bouncer aimed right at Siddanth's head.
Siddanth did not duck. He pulled the bouncer fiercely over the deep mid-wicket boundary for a massive six.
Junaid Khan bowled wide outside the off-stump, trying to keep the ball away from Siddanth's hitting zone near the wide line.
Siddanth stepped entirely across his stumps, reached out, and sliced the ball backward of point for another boundary.
"He has an answer for everything!" Nasser Hussain said on the commentary, full of admiration. "They are bowling yorkers, he digs them out. They are bowling bouncers, he pulls them. They are bowling wide, he slices them. Siddanth Deva is playing a lone hand here."
"He is taking the entire pressure of the final on his shoulders," Harsha Bhogle agreed. "He is keeping Hardik Pandya away from the strike. He is farming the bowling perfectly."
Siddanth continued to score runs. He hit boundaries in almost every over. Hardik Pandya played his role perfectly, defending the few balls he faced and running hard to give Siddanth the strike back.
In the thirty-eighth over, Siddanth pushed a ball to cover and ran a quick single.
The stadium announcer's voice boomed over the speakers.
"A brilliant century for Siddanth Deva!" Ravi Shastri announced loudly. "He brings up his hundred in the final! What an incredible innings under pressure!"
"And look at the statistics, Ravi," Sourav Ganguly added. "That is his 93rd century across all formats in international cricket. He is moving closer to that magical 100-century mark. But right now, he only cares about winning this match."
Siddanth did not celebrate his century wildly. He took his helmet off, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and simply raised his bat to the crowd. He nodded toward the Indian dressing room.
He put his helmet back on and tapped the pitch. He was not done yet.
The partnership between Siddanth and Hardik crossed the 100-run mark. Siddanth was doing all the heavy hitting, while Hardik supported him quietly from the other end.
The match reached the final few overs.
The score was 275 for 6.
India needed 18 runs to win from 15 balls.
The victory, which had looked completely impossible an hour ago, was now within reach. The Indian fans in the stadium were singing and cheering loudly. The Pakistan fielders looked stressed.
Siddanth had just hit a boundary. He was breathing heavily. He had batted for nearly forty overs, carrying the entire team. He walked down the pitch to tap the ground with his bat.
He looked at the non-striker's end.
Hardik Pandya was standing there. But Hardik was not looking at Siddanth. He was not looking at the bowler.
Hardik was looking up into the VIP stands. He was smiling broadly, waving his hand slightly at someone in the crowd, clearly enjoying the fact that they were about to win the match. He was soaking in the early celebration.
Siddanth stopped tapping the pitch.
His heart was beating fast. The pressure of the final, the exhaustion of the innings, and the tension of the moment peaked. He saw his partner losing focus when the match was not even finished yet.
Siddanth lost his temper completely.
The stadium was loud, but Siddanth's voice cut through the noise.
"Abe oo bsdk," Siddanth yelled loudly across the pitch.
Hardik snapped his head forward instantly, his smile vanishing.
"Udar kya dekh raha hai?!" Siddanth shouted, pointing his bat firmly at the ground in front of him. "Idar dekh! Mai idar hun! IPL mein class liya, idar bhi lu kya?!"
(Hey you mf, what are you looking at over there?! Look here! I am here! I took a class in the IPL, should I take it here too?!)
The stump microphone picked up every single word perfectly. The audio was broadcast live to millions of televisions across the world.
In the commentary box, there was a brief moment of silence before the commentators burst into laughter.
"Oh, the stump microphone has picked up something very interesting there," Harsha Bhogle said, laughing softly.
Sourav Ganguly was laughing loudly. "The captain is not happy! Hardik Pandya was looking at the crowd, smiling at someone in the stands. And Siddanth Deva just gave him a proper scolding in Hindi. He reminded him of the IPL!"
"That is the pressure of an India-Pakistan final, Harsha," Ravi Shastri boomed, highly amused. "You cannot lose focus for one single second until the match is officially over. Siddanth Deva is completely locked in. His emotions are running high. He does not want Hardik getting distracted right now."
Down on the pitch, Hardik Pandya looked embarrassed. His face turned slightly red. He quickly looked down at his shoes, tapped his bat on the ground, and nodded seriously at his captain. He did not look at the stands again.
Siddanth took a deep breath, calming his sudden anger. He turned back and took his guard.
Mohammad Amir was bowling.
Amir ran in and bowled a fast, wide yorker. Siddanth reached out and sliced it past the point fielder for two runs.
Amir bowled a bouncer aimed at the chest. Siddanth rolled his wrists and pulled the ball safely along the ground for a single.
The match reached the 48th over.
India needed exactly 5 runs to win.
Hasan Ali had the ball. Siddanth was on strike. He was batting on 138 runs.
Hasan Ali ran in hard. He wanted to bowl a perfect yorker to prevent a boundary. He missed his length by two inches. It became a fast half-volley on the middle stump.
Siddanth planted his front foot firmly on the ground. He brought his bat down with perfect, clean timing and immense power. He hit the ball straight back down the ground, over the bowler's head.
The ball sailed high into the London night sky. It flew entirely over the boundary rope and landed deep into the stands.
Six runs.
"He finishes it with a massive six!" Ravi Shastri roared as the ball cleared the ropes. "Siddanth Deva wins it for India! A miraculous, unbelievable run chase in the final! He finishes on 144 not out!"