The white ball sailed high over the bowler's head and vanished into the crowded stands of The Oval.
Six runs. The match was over.
Siddanth Deva held his pose for just a second. He watched the ball land. He let out a long, heavy breath and lowered his bat.
Even before the ball had crossed the boundary rope, the entire Indian squad was already lined up at the edge of the field. They were standing shoulder-to-shoulder, waiting. The moment the umpire signaled the six, the boundary rope was breached.
The entire team sprinted onto the field.
Virat Kohli was the fastest. He ran across the grass like a sprinter, a massive smile on his face. He reached Siddanth first and did not slow down. He jumped in the air and tackled Siddanth to the ground.
Siddanth fell backward onto the pitch. Before he could even push Virat off, the rest of the team arrived.
Yuvraj Singh threw his weight onto the pile. Shikhar Dhawan piled on. Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and the fast bowlers all jumped onto the huddle. They crushed Siddanth into the dirt, screaming and laughing loudly.
It was a massive dogpile of blue jerseys in the very center of the pitch. The pressure of the final, the stress of the top-order collapse, and the relief of the victory all came out in that single, chaotic huddle.
After a few moments, the players slowly started to peel themselves off the pile. Virat stood up, offering his hand.
Siddanth grabbed it and pulled himself up. His jersey was covered in dirt and grass stains. His hair was messy. He smiled warmly, hugging Virat, and then turned to hug MS Dhoni.
"Unbelievable innings, Sid," Dhoni said quietly over the noise. "You paced that perfectly."
"Hardik helped at the end," Siddanth said, looking at the young all-rounder who was currently jumping up and down with Kuldeep Yadav.
The Indian players walked over to the Pakistan team. The Pakistan players looked heartbroken. They had the match in their hands in the first ten overs, but they watched it slip away. Siddanth shook hands with Sarfaraz Ahmed, offering a respectful nod to the opposing captain.
The television broadcast quickly set up the presentation area on the outfield. A large stage was assembled, and a red carpet was rolled out over the grass.
Ravi Shastri stood on the stage holding his microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, what a final we have witnessed today!" Ravi Shastri's voice boomed across the stadium speakers. "Before we hand out the big prize, let us invite the runners-up. They played a fantastic tournament. Please welcome the Pakistan team to collect their medals."
The Pakistan players walked up the steps one by one. The match officials placed the silver runner-up medals around their necks. They posed for a quick, quiet photograph and walked down the other side of the stage.
"And now, the champions of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy!" Ravi Shastri announced loudly. "The Indian Cricket Team!"
The stadium crowd erupted into a massive roar. The Indian players walked up to the stage. They smiled and leaned forward as the officials placed the heavy gold winner's medals around their necks.
"Now for the individual awards," Ravi Shastri said. "We have a man who stood tall when his team was struggling at 152 for 6. He scored 144 not out and took 3 wickets in the first innings. The Man of the Match is Siddanth Deva!"
Siddanth walked forward. He accepted the small trophy and the prize check.
"But wait, do not go anywhere, Siddanth," Ravi Shastri smiled. "You scored over 353 runs in this tournament. You took twelve wickets. You controlled every game you played. The Player of the Tournament is also Siddanth Deva!"
The crowd chanted his name as he received the second, larger trophy.
Ravi Shastri held the microphone out to him. "Siddanth, you walked in when the team was in deep trouble. Rohit, Dhawan, and Virat were in the dugout early. What was your mindset when you came to the crease?"
"The mindset was just to stay in the middle, Ravi bhai," Siddanth said calmly. "The pitch was good. I told Dhawan and Yuvi paaji the same thing. We just needed to build a partnership and take the game deep. Pakistan bowled very well with the new ball, but once the ball got older, it became easier to score."
"You had a few words for Hardik Pandya near the end there," Ravi laughed, bringing up the stump mic incident. "The whole world heard it. You wanted him focused."
Siddanth offered a slight smile. "It is a final. You cannot relax until the winning runs are hit. Hardik batted very well today. He took the pressure off me in the last few overs."
"A captain leading from the front," Ravi Shastri said. "Congratulations, Siddanth. Now, Please collect the ICC Champions Trophy on behalf of your team!"
Siddanth walked to the center of the stage. The BCCI president and the ICC chairman handed him the heavy, silver Champions Trophy.
Siddanth took the trophy. He turned around and walked back to his team waiting on the podium.
He did not lift it into the air himself. He walked straight to the back row where the youngest players were standing. He handed the heavy silver trophy directly into the hands of Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Hardik Pandya.
The three young players grabbed the trophy. They lifted it high above their heads together.
The stage exploded. Golden confetti shot out of the cannons on the sides of the podium, raining down over the players. Champagne bottles were popped, spraying foam everywhere. The team cheered, pumping their fists in the air.
The official photographers snapped dozens of pictures of the team holding the cup. After the group photos, the players broke apart. They took individual pictures holding the trophy, posing with their medals.
Once the stage photos were done, Siddanth gathered the team.
"Let's go," Siddanth said, picking up a large Indian flag from the support staff.
The entire squad walked to the boundary line. They started a victory lap around the perimeter of The Oval. The Indian fans in the stands pushed against the front railings, cheering and holding out their phones. The players waved the flag, clapped their hands, and thanked the crowd for their support.
Siddanth walked near the front. He looked up at the VIP boxes.
He saw Krithika and Anjali standing near the glass window. Krithika was wearing her blue t-shirt and white jacket. Anjali wore her blue jersey. They were both waving and smiling broadly. Siddanth raised his hand and waved back at them.
The victory lap took fifteen minutes. The players eventually drifted back toward the center of the field.
Near the pitch, the broadcast team had set up a small interview area. Ravi Shastri stood there holding a microphone. Virat Kohli stood next to him, wearing his gold medal.
The television camera pointed at them. The live broadcast was still rolling.
"Virat, it was a very tense chase today," Ravi Shastri asked, looking at the Indian vice-captain. "You guys lost three early wickets. Mohammad Amir was bowling brilliantly. Were there any nerves in the dressing room?"
Virat Kohli nodded seriously, looking directly into the camera.
"There are always nerves in a final, Ravi bhai," Virat answered, his tone completely focused. "Amir bowled a fantastic spell. He got the ball to swing late. But we knew we had depth. When Sid went out there, the dressing room calmed down. We just watched him build his innings. He absorbed all the pressure and then counter-attacked perfectly in the end. It was one of the best knocks I have ever seen under pressure."
Virat continued talking.
Behind the camera, out of Virat's line of sight, Siddanth was walking back toward the dressing room. He saw Ravindra Jadeja standing near the dugout.
Jadeja was holding a large, orange plastic water cooler box by one handle. The box was completely empty of bottles, but it was still half-full of melted ice water and solid ice cubes left over from the match.
Siddanth looked at the cooler. He looked at Jadeja. Then he looked at Virat Kohli standing in the middle of his serious interview with Ravi Shastri.
Siddanth walked over to Jadeja. He didn't say a word. He just grabbed the other handle of the orange cooler box.
Jadeja saw where Siddanth was looking. A wicked smile spread across Jadeja's face. He nodded silently.
They picked up the heavy cooler box together. They walked quietly across the grass, moving in a wide arc so they approached the interview area from behind. They stayed in Virat's blind spot.
Ravi Shastri was nodding as Virat spoke. Ravi saw Siddanth and Jadeja approaching from behind Virat, carrying the cooler. Ravi's eyes widened slightly, but he tried to maintain his professional face for the camera.
"So the middle order really stepped up today to secure the title," Ravi said, trying not to look at the two men creeping up behind Virat.
"Yes, exactly," Virat said, continuing his serious answer. "We trust our process. Even when things get tough, we know someone will take responsibility—"
Siddanth and Jadeja reached him. On a silent count of three, they lifted the heavy orange cooler box high into the air and tipped it completely upside down over Virat's head.
A massive wave of freezing cold water and dozens of solid ice cubes crashed down directly onto Virat Kohli.
"GAAAAAH!" Virat screamed, jumping forward as the freezing water hit his neck and back.
The splash was so large that half the water hit Ravi Shastri as well.
"Hey!" Ravi Shastri shouted in surprise, jumping backward as ice cubes bounced off his expensive suit and hit the grass.
Siddanth and Jadeja immediately dropped the empty orange cooler box on the ground and sprinted away across the outfield, laughing hysterically.
Virat spun around, completely soaked. Ice cubes were stuck in the collar of his jersey. Water dripped down his nose and beard. He saw Siddanth and Jadeja running away.
"I am going to kill you both!" Virat yelled after them, rubbing the ice off his neck and shivering violently.
Ravi Shastri wiped his face with his hand, looking down at his wet suit jacket. He started laughing loudly into the microphone.
"Well, the celebrations have officially begun!" Ravi Shastri boomed, highly amused. "The captain and Jadeja just ambushed the vice-captain! A freezing ice bath live on television!"
Virat stood in front of the camera, dripping wet and shivering in the cool London evening breeze. He wiped the water from his eyes and grabbed the microphone from Ravi.
"They are dead when we get back to the hotel," Virat promised the viewers, laughing despite the cold. "But yes, we are very happy. It is a great win. Back to the studio!"
Siddanth walked off the grass and entered the wide corridor leading to the Indian dressing room. The area was restricted to players and family members.
He saw Krithika and Anjali standing near the dressing room doors.
Anjali was holding her phone, recording the corridor. Krithika stood next to her. Krithika was wearing her pristine white jacket over a blue t-shirt.
Siddanth walked toward them. He was a complete mess. His blue jersey was stained with dark brown dirt from the pitch. There were green grass stains on his knees. His shirt was sticky from the champagne sprayed on the podium, and his hair was wet from sweating for hours.
Krithika saw him coming. She looked at his shirt. She took a step back and put both her hands up in front of her chest.
"Stay away from me," Krithika warned him. "I am wearing white. You are completely covered in mud."
Siddanth stopped walking. He looked down at his dirty shirt. He looked at her clean white jacket. A slow, mischievous smile formed on his face.
"It is just a little dirt," Siddanth said.
"Siddanth, no," Krithika said, taking another step backward until her back hit the wall. "Do not touch me. Go take a shower first."
Siddanth ignored her protest entirely. He stepped forward quickly, closed the distance, and wrapped both his arms tightly around her. He gave her a massive, aggressive bear hug, pressing his dirty, sweat-soaked jersey directly against her clean white jacket.
Krithika gasped, trying to push his broad shoulders away, but she could not move him.
"You are ruining my jacket!" Krithika yelled, laughing despite her annoyance.
"We just won a Trophy," Siddanth said, resting his chin on her shoulder, completely uncaring about the mud transfer. "The jacket is a small sacrifice."
Anjali stood a few feet away, laughing loudly as she recorded the entire interaction on her phone.
Siddanth finally stepped back. He looked at the front of Krithika's jacket. It now had a large, distinct brown mud stain across the chest and stomach.
Krithika looked down at her clothes and sighed heavily. She glared at him.
"You are buying me a new one," she told him.
"Buy ten more," Siddanth smiled. Then they talked for a few minutes and Deva told them to go to their hotel, he will meet them tomorrow morning. And then he went inside the dressing room.
Siddanth pushed the heavy door open and entered the dressing room. The room was loud. Music was playing from a portable speaker. The players were throwing their wet gear into their kit bags and drinking water.
He walked over to his locker. He started untying his shoes.
A minute later, the dressing room door opened again.
Ravi Shastri walked into the room. He did not look happy. His expensive, tailored grey suit jacket was completely soaked. Dark water spots covered his shirt collar. He looked like he had been caught in a rainstorm.
The music in the room stopped. The players turned to look at the coach.
Ravi Shastri pointed a firm finger directly at Siddanth and Ravindra Jadeja.
"This is Italian silk," Ravi Shastri announced loudly, his voice echoing in the quiet room. He held up the wet lapel of his jacket. "You two threw a bucket of freezing water on your vice-captain, and half of it landed on me. My shoes are full of ice water."
Jadeja looked down at his phone, trying very hard not to laugh.
Ravi Shastri walked closer to Siddanth's locker. "Who is going to pay my dry cleaning bill? This suit is ruined."
Siddanth looked up at the Ravi Shastri with a calm expression.
"Forward the bill to the BCCI accounts department, Ravi bhai," Siddanth replied smoothly. "Tell them it was a necessary match expense."
The entire dressing room burst into loud laughter. MS Dhoni, sitting in the corner chair, chuckled quietly and shook his head. Even Ravi Shastri could not keep a straight face. He smiled, shook his head, and walked out.
The players continued packing. Yuvraj Singh was talking loudly with Shikhar Dhawan near the center table.
Above them, a large television was mounted on the wall. It was tuned to an international sports news channel. The volume was low.
Suddenly, the news anchor on the screen started talking about the final overs of the match. The broadcast showed a replay of Hardik Pandya looking up at the VIP stands.
"We have to turn the volume up," Yuvraj Singh said, grabbing the remote from the table. "They are showing the winning moments."
Yuvraj turned the volume up. The voice of the news anchor filled the dressing room.
"But the moment of the match happened in the forty-seventh over," the news anchor said on the television. "The pressure was mounting on the Indian captain. And the stump microphone picked up how he handles his players."
The television screen cut to a wide shot of the pitch. Hardik Pandya was standing at the non-striker's end, smiling at the crowd. Siddanth Deva was at the striker's end, tapping the pitch.
Then, the raw, uncensored audio from the stump microphone played loudly through the dressing room speakers.
"Abe oo bsdk."
Siddanth's loud, angry voice echoed clearly in the room.
"Udar kya dekh raha hai?! Idar dekh! Mai idar hun! IPL mein class liya, idar bhi lu kya?!"
The television broadcast immediately cut to the commentators laughing.
Inside the dressing room, the reaction was instantaneous.
Dead silence fell over the room for exactly two seconds. Everyone stopped packing. They all looked at the television, and then they all slowly turned their heads to look at Hardik Pandya.
Hardik was standing near his kit bag. He froze. He looked down at his shoes. His face turned red.
Yuvraj Singh was the first to break the silence. He threw his head back and let out a massive, howling laugh.
The rest of the team followed. The dressing room exploded. Shikhar Dhawan fell back onto a bench, laughing so hard he grabbed his stomach. Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav clapped their hands, pointing at Hardik. MS Dhoni smiled broadly from his corner.
"IPL mein class liya!" Yuvraj shouted, wiping a tear from his eye. "He roasted you on global television, Hardik!"
"I just wanted to wave to my brother in the stands!" Hardik defended himself, looking highly embarrassed but laughing along with the team.
"You should know better than to look away when Sid is batting," Rohit Sharma teased from his spot on the bench.
Siddanth sat by his locker. He did not look embarrassed. He calmly drank from a bottle of water, watching his team laugh at the replay. The tension of the final was completely gone.
As the laughter died down, Siddanth turned back to his locker to grab a clean t-shirt. He bent down to open his bag.
Virat had just walked out of the shower area. He had changed into a dry t-shirt and shorts. But in his hands, he held a large, green bottle of champagne. He had not forgotten the ice bucket ambush.
Virat crept slowly across the dressing room floor. He kept his footsteps silent. He stopped right behind Siddanth.
Virat placed his thumb on the cork. He aimed the top of the bottle directly at the back of Siddanth's head.
Siddanth did not turn around. But he was standing in front of his locker. The inside of the locker door had a small, rectangular mirror attached to it.
Siddanth saw Virat's reflection in the mirror.
Virat pushed the cork.
At the exact same millisecond, Siddanth casually sidestepped to his left.
POP.
The cork flew off. A massive, high-pressure spray of sticky, white champagne shot out of the bottle.
It missed Siddanth entirely.
The spray flew straight past Siddanth's empty spot and hit the person sitting on the bench directly in front of the locker.
Rohit Sharma had his eyes closed. He was leaning back against the wall, trying to take a quick nap before they had to board the bus.
The cold champagne hit Rohit squarely in the face.
Rohit jolted awake instantly. He gasped, wiping the sticky liquid from his eyes and nose in pure shock. He looked confused.
Virat froze. He lowered the bottle.
"Virat," Rohit said, his voice quiet and highly annoyed. He wiped his cheek with his hand. "Why did you just spray me in the face while I was sleeping?"
"I was aiming for Sid!" Virat defended himself quickly, pointing at Siddanth. "He moved!"
"I was just grabbing a shirt, Virat," Siddanth said innocently, holding a white t-shirt in his hand. "You should check your target."
"I am going to sleep on the bus," Rohit grumbled, grabbing a towel to wipe his face. "If anyone wakes me up again, I am leaving them in London."
The team finished packing their bags. The logistics manager walked into the room.
"The bus is ready outside," the manager announced. "Please bring your bags and the trophy."
The players picked up their heavy kit bags. They walked out of the dressing room and headed down the corridor toward the stadium exit.
Hardik Pandya walked over to the center table where the heavy, silver ICC Champions Trophy was resting. He picked it up by one side.
Jasprit Bumrah walked up next to him and grabbed the other.
"I will carry it to the bus," Bumrah said.
"No, I will carry it," Hardik argued, pulling the trophy toward himself. "I hit runs at the end."
Kuldeep Yadav walked up and put his hand on the base of the trophy. "I got two wickets in the middle overs. I should carry it."
The three youngest players in the squad stood in the middle of the room, arguing over who got the honor of holding the cup on the walk to the bus.
Siddanth walked past them carrying his kit bag. He stopped. He looked at the three players pulling on the cup.
Siddanth reached out his right hand. He grabbed the top rim of the heavy trophy. He did not pull hard. He just held it firmly.
The three younger players immediately let go.
Siddanth picked up the trophy. He did not say a word to them. He turned and walked down the corridor.
He walked out of the stadium and climbed the steps onto the large luxury team bus. The bus was quiet. Most of the players had already taken their seats and were resting their heads against the windows.
Siddanth walked down the aisle. He found an empty seat near the middle of the bus.
He placed the heavy Champions Trophy upright on the soft fabric seat. He pulled the seatbelt across the middle of the cup and clicked it securely into the buckle.
He patted the top of the trophy.
He turned around and looked at Hardik, Bumrah, and Kuldeep, who had just boarded the bus behind him.
"The trophy sits here," Siddanth instructed them calmly. "Go find a seat and go to sleep."
The three players nodded quietly. They walked past the buckled-in trophy and found empty seats in the back row.
Siddanth sat down in the seat across the aisle from the trophy. He leaned his head back against the window. The diesel engine of the bus started with a low rumble.
He pulled his phone from his pocket. The screen was flooded with notifications.
---
@CricketFanatic99: 144 NOT OUT IN A FINAL AFTER BEING 152 FOR 6! Siddanth Deva is not human. He is a machine built for finals.
@BlueArmyIndia: India wins their 4th Champions Trophy! 2002, 2009, 2013, and now 2017! We own this tournament! 🏆🇮🇳
@MemeLordIndia: Hardik Pandya looking at the crowd.
Deva on the stump mic: "Udar kya dekh raha hai?! Idar dekh!"
Bro literally turned into a strict school teacher in the middle of a World Cup final. 🤣
@StatNerd_Ind: Siddanth Deva scored his 93rd international century today. He is just 7 centuries away from the 100 mark. The countdown begins.
@ViratGang: Virat giving a very serious, deep interview about handling pressure.
Deva and Jadeja: "Here is some ice water." 🧊💦🤣
@PaceIsPace: Amir's opening spell was terrifying. Getting Rohit and Virat out so early almost gave me a heart attack.
@CricketShitpost: Ravi Shastri catching the friendly fire from the ice bucket. His suit was ruined! Deva and Jadeja ran away so fast! 🏃♂️💨
@BCCI_Updates: Champions of the Champions Trophy! A fantastic team effort to come back from a top-order collapse.
@Pak_Cricket_Fan: We played well in the first 15 overs. Amir was brilliant. But Siddanth Deva is just too good under pressure. Well played, India. 🇵🇰🤝🇮🇳
@MemeCentral_IND: Hardik Pandya after the stump mic scolding: "Yes sir. Sorry sir. I will look only at the pitch sir." 😭
@HarshaBhogle (Verified): The composure shown by Siddanth Deva today defines his captaincy. He absorbs pressure better than anyone in the history of the game.
@RohitSharma45_Fan: Sad to see Rohit get out for a duck, but the middle order stepped up today. That is why this team is the best in the world.
@GullyCricketGod: Deva handing the trophy straight to Bumrah, Kuldeep, and Hardik. He never holds the cup in the photos. True leader. 👑
@YuviPaaji_Fan: Yuvraj and Dhoni didn't score big today, but their presence in the dressing room matters.
@Desi_Humor: Siddanth saying "IPL mein class liya, idar bhi lu kya?" is the most savage line ever recorded on a stump mic. He roasted his own player live on global TV. 🔥
@FastBowling_Fan: Pakistan tried bouncing him, bowling wide, bowling yorkers. He hit everything to the boundary. Pure dominance.
@KuldeepSpinMagic: Kuldeep getting 2 wickets in the first innings was crucial. He broke the middle order.
@MemeLordIndia: Virat shivering on live TV while threatening to kill Deva and Jadeja is the funniest thing I have seen all year.
@BabarAzam_Squad: Babar played a good knock of 46, but 292 wasn't enough against the Indian batting depth.
@CricketFanatic_MUM: 3 wickets with the ball, 144 runs with the bat. Man of the Match. Player of the Tournament. Siddanth Deva is playing a different game.
@Hardik_Pandya_FC: Hardik batted really well to support the captain. He just needs to stop looking at the VIP stands! 👀😂
@BCCI_Insider: The transition of this team is complete. The young players are winning trophies alongside the veterans.
@Indian_Troll: Pakistan fans celebrating after Kohli got out.
Deva walking out: "Allow me to reintroduce myself."
@WristSpinMagic: The wrist spinners are the future. Kuldeep and Chahal are winning games in the middle overs.
@SiddanthDevaFC: He took his helmet off and just nodded to the dressing room after his century. No wild celebration. Just business.
@Cricket_History: 4 ICC Champions Trophy titles. India cements its place as the modern kings of white-ball cricket.
@MSDian_Forever: Dhoni in the background smiling while Deva scolded Hardik. He knows Deva handles the discipline now.
@ViratGang: Virat is definitely planning his revenge. Deva better watch his back in the hotel tonight! 🧊🔫