The Inter-District Zonal Championship had officially begun.
Each team would play 14 matches over the course of 3 months, with every innings capped at 35 overs. Scouts from the UP Cricket Board were watching closely. For many players, this tournament was more than just a competition—it was a gateway.
The opening match featured a high-voltage clash: Western UP vs Awadh Zone.
The venue was a mid-sized stadium in Bareilly, surrounded by eucalyptus trees and early morning fog. The pitch looked firm from a distance, but the ground staff had warned both captains—it was still damp underneath. The outfield shimmered with dew, making it dangerously slippery.
The Toss
At 8:30 AM, both captains walked to the center.
Nikhil Srivatam, leading Western UP, stood calm and composed. Sarfaraz Alam, captain of Awadh Zone, was animated, chatting with his bowlers as he approached.
The coin went up. Awadh won the toss.
Sarfaraz didn't hesitate. "We'll bowl first."
Nikhil nodded. He would've done the same. The pitch would be unpredictable early on, and the fog could help swing bowlers. But now, the challenge was his—to set a total and defend it.
First Innings – Western UP Batting
Nikhil's openers walked out: Mahesh Yadav, a compact right-hander known for his timing, and Ravi Chauhan, a left-hander with flair.
From the first ball, they looked settled.
The pitch was low, but the bowlers from Awadh Zone struggled to find rhythm. The fog made gripping the ball difficult, and the outfield punished every misfield.
Mahesh and Ravi capitalized.
They rotated strike smartly, punished loose deliveries, and ran hard between the wickets. By the end of the 18th over, they had put up a 160-run partnership.
Awadh's bowlers began to unravel.
Lines were missed. Yorkers turned into full tosses. Slips were slow to react. Sarfaraz tried rotating his bowlers, but the pressure was mounting.
In the 19th over, Ravi fell to a mistimed pull shot—caught at deep square leg.
But Mahesh was still there.
And he was on fire.
He began to accelerate, lofting spinners over midwicket, cutting pacers behind point, and driving with elegance. His bat seemed to hum with confidence.
He finished with a majestic 120 runs, anchoring the innings with poise and aggression.
Western UP ended their innings at 243 for 4.
Their all-rounders hadn't even padded up.
Second Innings – Awadh Zone Chasing
Nikhil gathered his team in a tight huddle.
"Forget the score," he said. "Play the pitch. Play the moment."
He opened the bowling himself.
The fog had lifted slightly, but the pitch was still damp. Nikhil bowled with control, using subtle variations in pace and length. His first two overs were maidens, choking the chase before it could begin.
He finished his spell with 5 overs, conceding just 13 runs—an economy of 2.58.
It wasn't flashy.
It was surgical.
Tactical Execution
Nikhil rotated his bowlers smartly.
He brought in Ritesh Yadav, a skiddy pacer, to exploit the low bounce. He used Manav Singh, his leg-spinner, to tempt the middle order into false strokes.
Awadh Zone fought back.
Their opener, Aman Qureshi, played a gritty knock of 58 runs, absorbing pressure and keeping the scoreboard ticking. Their No. 4 batter, Imtiyaz Khan, launched a brief counterattack with two sixes over long-on.
But the required run rate kept climbing.
Western UP's fielders, now adjusted to the slippery turf, began cutting off singles and diving for stops.
In the 31st over, Ritesh struck twice—clean bowled and a caught-behind.
Awadh Zone finished at 199 for 8.
Western UP won by 44 runs.
The Aftermath
Nikhil didn't celebrate wildly.
He shook hands, patted his bowlers on the back, and walked off quietly.
Sarfaraz came over, offered a handshake, and said, "Well led, Srivatam. We'll meet again."
Nikhil nodded. "Looking forward to it."