Siddarth got ready, before asking for a few changes in the field. Ali and Shrivastav guided the fielders before Siddarth began his run up.
Ashwandeep supporters began chanting loudly, sensing something was goin to change. Chants of "Siddarth is the best" were heard throughout the small ground.
Siddarth ran forward, before bowling the first ball of his over.
A slower ball immediately ran towards Akib, who calmly showed the face of his bat to the ball.
A dot ball.
[ Anzal 45* (17) | Akib 26* (20) | 71/0 ]
The next three balls were also dot balls.
Anzal looked at Akib, annoyed.
"What is he thinking? Why is he wasting balls of the powerplay?"
Akib got ready to face the fifth ball, which Siddarth threw. It was a fast and frontal ball, one which almost every player would block instinctively.
But not Akib. He wouldn't fall for this trap.
He had noticed the way Siddarth had gripped the ball. If he defended it, the ball would edge his bat, Zayed would catch the ball from behind or the ball would hit the stumps.
Akib moved his bat upwards, towards the side which he felt the ball was going to turn to. He turned right, and the ball did so too.
The ball flew away into the boundary line for a four.
[ Anzal 45* (17) | Akib 30* (23) | 75/0 ]
"A calculated risk." Said Anzal from the other side. "Not bad."
Siddarth was surprised. His ace in the hole had been neutralized. Akib had read through him too. It looked like this match would be for the awakening of two talented batsmen, but not from Ashwandeep.
Ali called Siddarth over, but he was ignored.
Siddarth ran forward, bowling the sixth ball. It was a yorker, which Akib tried to push to the side, but it instead went right back to Siddarth, but he dropped it and hence Akib took a single.
A single. And that was the end of the powerplay.
Ali's plan had completely failed.
Akib and Anzal had created an near impenetrable partnership.
[ Anzal 45* (17) | Akib 31* (24) | 76/0 ]
Ali dropped to the ground. His plan had completely failed. The Ashwandeep crowd was silent. He had no idea what he could do now.
Suraj saw this, and came over to him.
"Get up, Ali." Said Suraj. "There are still fourteen overs left. We can still win."
"What do you mean?" Asked Ali. "They made the perfect partnership. Akib knows everything about our bowling attack. Even Siddarth wasn't enough."
"Who cares about what Akib knows?" Scolded Suraj. "It isn't over till it's over."
"You know what?" Ali spoke, while suddenly remembering something. "You're actually right."
Ali had realized, he had something no other cricketer ever had.
The Absolute Analysis Eye.
Ali quickly looked at Akib, before activating it.
[Akib Hakeem. A 18 year old anchoring batsman. Can perform decently against all types of balls. Best counter: Remove all patterns from the bowling attack. Complete reinvention.]
"So that's how I can do it." Thought Ali, before dusting off his jersey.
The first reinvention, would be the change in bowling patterns.
Normally, Ali would immediately send Chinnar Rai to bowl the next over. But this time he let Chirag bowl his third over.
"Chirag." Motioned Ali. "Don't bowl with your usual pattern. Do something completely different."
"What pattern?" Asked Chirag, dumbfounded.
"If you want to bowl one type of ball, bowl something else instead." Said Ali. "Akib has studied our bowling attack so much, it's like he can read your mind."
"So.." Asked Chirag. "Is me bowling my third over also part of this?"
"Yes." Admitted Ali. "We are going to completely change everything."
Shrivastav realized Ali's plan, and completely changed the fielding formation. It was a fielding formation that the Ashwandeep team was doing for the first ever time.
The Ashwandeep supporters were confused as well.
Akib noticed the complete change in every aspect of the fielding side.
"Well, it looks like they are encrypting themselves now." Thought Akib. "I knew this plan wouldn't work forever."
Akib got ready to face the first ball, which was supposed to be a inswinger, but instead was an outswinger. It edged his bat and Zayed dropped the catch.
"Run, Anzal!" Screamed Akib. "We won't get chances like this!"
They immediately took a single, and Anzal was now on strike.
Akib knew that the current best course of action would be to exploit the unconventional field, using Anzal.
Anzal looked at Akib. He had changed from a perfectly calm planner to a desperate figure. It was like something had happened.
The unconventional field confused Anzal. There were too many holes in the formation.
"The perfect chance." Thought Anzal. "Time to show Ashwandeep what I am."
Anzal got ready to attack, and Chirag bowled his next ball.
It was another ball near the slot, which came near Anzal's legs. Anzal moved his bat in a sweeping motion.
The ball ran towards the boundary line. Samuel tried to catch it, but the dropped from his hands and went into the boundary.
Four. But Akib wasn't happy. Two dropped catches in one over.
[ Anzal 49* (18) | Akib 32* (25) | 81/0 ]
Akib and Anzal remained for the next three overs, but batted at a slower pace than earlier.
[ Anzal 71* (24) | Akib 42* (37) | 112/0 ]
Chinnar Rai was sent for the 12th over. He had understood what to do, and was ready to try and collect a wicket.
Anzal faced the first ball. He was determined to reach a century as soon as possible.
The first ball was a top spinner, which Anzal tried to swivel away with a six but failed.
The second ball however, was swatted away for a six. Anzal smirked, while Chinnar Rai watched it fly away in desperation.
[ Anzal 77* (26) | Akib 42* (37) | 119/0 ]
"Alright, it's time to use that then." Thought Chinnar Rai.
He was referring to the carrom ball, which he had practiced for a long time.
Chinnar Rai bowled the third ball of his over, a carrom ball. The ball came to the side of Anzal, who tried to loft it away, but it instead edged his bat.
The ball was close to Zayed's face, who slowly cupped his hands before the ball stopped in them.
Anzal was out.
A breakthrough. Ali and Chinnar Rai high fived each other. Anzal, meanwhile hit his bat on the ground frustrated that he had failed to see through Rai's bowling.
Akib came towards him, trying to calm him down.
"You did well." Said Akib.
"It isn't enough!" Screamed Anzal. "Doing well isn't enough!"
"Shut up." Said Akib. "Look at the scoreboard. You made the majority of the runs. Now, because of you, we can calmly play without worrying as much."
Anzal was silenced once again. Throughout his time playing cricket, everyone had just flattered him, calling him a 'genius', told him he was always right. But now, there was someone who was telling him nothing but the truth.
He wouldn't mince his words, nor act as some kind of cheerleader supporting him. Akib was the first person who had not just spoke to him to make him happy, but to improve him.
Anzal had realized that Akib wasn't trying to control him, but rather trying to make him fit in. He looked at him again, a sense of genuine respect across his face.
"Maybe I should listen to him more." Thought Anzal.
He walked away quietly, and Steve came out of the dugout to replace him.
TO BE CONTINUED
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