The tension was suffocating. 136 for 6. SRH needed 10 runs from 12 balls. The final two overs. The Eliminator. After RP Singh's excellent 18th over, all eyes turned to the dugout, wondering who Coach Fleming would entrust with the crucial penultimate over. The experienced options were limited, and the pressure was immense.
Then, the decision was made. Coach Fleming, after a brief, intense discussion with Dhoni, pointed towards Aarav. He was bowling the 19th over.
Aarav felt a surge that was now less about nervousness and more about a sharp, electric focus. This was it. The moment. The ultimate test of everything he had learned, every mental battle won. He took the ball, its seam feeling perfectly aligned in his fingers. The roar of the crowd was a high-pitched whine in his ears, but he centered himself, focusing on his plan. Yuvraj was gone, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Karn Sharma were still capable.
He walked to the top of his mark, the floodlights glaring, casting long shadows. He looked at Dhoni behind the stumps, who gave a subtle nod.
First ball: Aarav began with a full, fast delivery, aimed at the blockhole, targeting Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Bhuvi, trying to get bat on it, dug it out awkwardly. It squirted towards mid-off. A quick single. The scoreboard ticked. 9 needed off 11.
Second ball: Karn Sharma on strike. Aarav decided to test him with a short ball, not a bouncer to intimidate, but a quick, sharp delivery aimed at his ribs. Karn instinctively pulled, but mistimed it badly. The ball flew off the top edge, high, but landed safely in the vacant mid-wicket region. They scampered through for two runs. The lead was shrinking. 7 needed off 10.
Third ball: Back to Karn. Aarav went for a wider yorker, trying to force a mishit. Karn stretched, reaching for it, and got a thick outside edge. The ball flew past the diving keeper, racing away towards the third man boundary. Four runs. A collective gasp from the RPS dugout. The score was now 142 for 6. SRH needed just 3 runs off 9 balls. The match felt like it was slipping, again.
Aarav felt a flash of frustration, the memory of his earlier boundaries conceded in the Powerplay. He took a deep breath, recalling Dhoni's calm voice, Just the next ball.Don't overthink. He focused, his resolve hardening. This was the moment for absolute precision.
Fourth ball: Karn Sharma still on strike. Aarav ran in, his action powerful and fluid. He delivered a searing, pinpoint yorker, swinging in late. Karn, committed to a big shot, was late on it. The ball crashed into his pads, dead in front of the stumps. A unanimous, passionate appeal went up. The umpire's finger went up instantly. OUT! LBW!
Aarav roared, pumping his fist. A massive wicket! The stadium erupted, RPS players mobbing him, their cheers momentarily drowning out the nervous murmur of the crowd. 142 for 7. SRH needed 3 runs off 8 balls. A new batsman, their last recognized lower-order player, walked to the crease, under immense pressure.
Fifth ball: The new batsman, Mustafizur Rahman. Aarav, fueled by the wicket, sent down another incredibly fast and full delivery, aiming for the base of the stumps. Mustafizur could only get his bat down defensively, pushing it back to the bowler. Dot ball. The pressure was back on SRH.
Sixth ball: Aarav finished his spell with a full, deceptive slower ball, delivered with the same action as his fastest. Mustafizur swung hard, expecting pace, but was completely beaten, the ball trickling away off the inside edge. Dot ball.
Aarav stood at the end of his run-up, chest heaving. He had bowled a phenomenal over under unimaginable pressure. He had conceded 7 runs (1 single, 2 runs, 1 four, 1 wicket). His final figures were 4 overs, 2 wickets for 34 runs. The score was 143 for 7. SRH still needed 3 runs to win, but now had only 1 over (6 balls) remaining, and a new batsman at the crease. He had done his part, and more. He had left the final six balls to the captain, to fate, and to the unwavering belief that they could still pull off the impossible.