The scoreboard glowed under the morning sun.
Target: 143 runs
It was not a massive score.
But it was not easy either.
In cricket, chasing even a small target could become a mountain when pressure entered the mind.
The players of Team B walked onto the field slowly.
Two batsmen stepped toward the crease.
Arjun.
Ravi.
The crowd murmured with excitement. Everyone knew these two were dangerous. One was explosive like fire. The other was calm like still water.
Two opposite forces.
But together, they were a nightmare for bowlers.
Arjun looked toward the scoreboard again.
143 runs.
He gripped his bat tightly.
Ravi walked beside him quietly and tapped his shoulder.
"Start strong," Ravi said.
Arjun smiled.
"Oh… I will."
The fielders spread across the ground. The captain of Team A shouted instructions as he adjusted the field.
"Deep mid-wicket… move back!"
The bowler stood at the top of his mark.
He took a deep breath.
The stadium slowly fell silent.
The chase was about to begin.
The First Strike
The bowler began his run-up.
His spikes crushed the grass as he sprinted toward the crease.
First ball.
The delivery was slightly outside off stump.
Arjun stepped forward.
His bat came down like lightning.
CRACK!
The sound echoed across the ground.
The ball sliced through the covers like a bullet and raced toward the boundary rope.
The fielders didn't even move.
FOUR.
The crowd exploded immediately.
Cheers echoed around the stadium as students jumped from their seats.
The scoreboard changed.
Team B – 4/0 (0.1 overs)
Arjun calmly adjusted his gloves.
Ravi smiled at the other end.
"Good start," he said.
But Arjun's eyes were burning.
He wasn't planning to play safe.
He wanted to destroy the pressure before it could grow.
Arjun's Storm
The bowler turned back and ran again.
Second ball.
This time Arjun stepped down the pitch aggressively and swung his bat across the line.
The ball flew high over mid-wicket.
A fielder ran toward it.
But it dropped safely on the grass.
They ran two runs.
The crowd clapped loudly.
Third ball.
The bowler tried to bowl short.
Big mistake.
Arjun rocked back instantly and smashed a brutal pull shot.
The ball screamed toward square leg.
FOUR.
The fielding captain clenched his fists.
Already 10 runs had come in just three balls.
He began shouting instructions.
"Deep square leg! Move back!"
The pressure had started shifting.
Fourth ball.
The bowler tried a slower delivery.
But Arjun waited patiently.
Then he drove it straight past the bowler.
The ball rolled across the outfield like lightning.
FOUR more.
The crowd roared again.
The bowler wiped sweat from his forehead.
His plan was collapsing.
Fifth ball.
Arjun pushed the ball gently toward point and ran a quick single.
Now Ravi faced his first delivery.
The last ball of the over was defended calmly.
The over ended.
15 runs from the first over.
The chase had begun with thunder.
Fire in the Second Over
A new bowler came from the opposite end.
He was taller and faster.
Ravi faced the first ball and calmly pushed it for a single.
Arjun returned to strike.
The bowler sprinted in aggressively.
First ball.
Short.
Arjun pulled it violently.
The ball flew high over mid-wicket.
The crowd gasped.
Then—
SIX!
The stadium exploded.
Students screamed and waved their hands wildly.
Arjun raised his bat slightly.
He was in full control now.
Second ball.
The bowler delivered a full-length ball.
Arjun sliced it beautifully through extra cover.
The ball raced across the grass.
FOUR.
The captain of Team A was now shouting constantly.
"Spread the field! Spread the field!"
But Arjun continued attacking.
Third ball.
A quick single.
Fourth ball.
Ravi rotated strike again.
Now Arjun faced the fifth delivery.
The bowler attempted a yorker.
But it turned into a low full toss.
Arjun smashed it toward long-on.
The ball bounced near the rope.
FOUR.
The scoreboard jumped forward again.
Arjun had already reached 27 runs.
The bowler stared at him angrily.
Last ball of the over.
He decided to surprise Arjun with a sharp bouncer.
The ball rose quickly.
Arjun attempted another powerful pull shot.
But the timing was slightly wrong.
The ball hit the top edge of the bat.
It went high… very high… spinning in the sky.
For a moment, the entire stadium went silent.
A fielder at deep square leg ran forward.
Eyes locked on the ball.
Hands ready.
The ball slowly came down.
And then—
CATCH.
The silence was heavy.
Arjun stood still for a moment.
His storm had ended.
The scoreboard changed.
Arjun – 30 runs (12 balls)
Team B – 32/1
The crowd clapped loudly as Arjun walked back.
Even the opposing captain nodded in respect.
Arjun had changed the momentum completely.
But now the chase would become harder.
Ravi's Responsibility
Ravi looked toward the pavilion where Arjun was returning.
Arjun raised his bat slightly.
A silent message.
Finish it.
Ravi nodded.
Now the responsibility belonged to him.
He was not a destructive batsman like Arjun.
But he was calm.
He understood the rhythm of the game.
The next few overs were steady.
Ravi rotated the strike.
Singles.
Doubles.
Occasional boundaries when the bowlers made mistakes.
But the bowling team slowly fought back.
A new batsman edged the ball to the wicketkeeper.
Wicket.
Another player was run out after a risky second run.
Wicket again.
Suddenly the scoreboard looked dangerous.
Team B – 90/3 after 15 overs
The required run rate was climbing again.
They now needed 53 runs from 30 balls.
The crowd had become quiet.
Every run mattered now.
Ravi wiped sweat from his forehead.
He stared at the field.
Stay calm.
The Fight Back
Ravi began increasing the tempo slowly.
A beautiful cover drive brought a boundary.
Then he pulled a short ball for another four.
The required runs started decreasing again.
But wickets continued falling at the other end.
Soon the scoreboard read:
Team B – 120/5
The match had reached its final stage.
Both teams were under massive pressure.
The bowlers tried everything.
Yorkers.
Bouncers.
Slower balls.
But Ravi continued fighting.
With two overs remaining, the equation became:
17 runs needed from 12 balls.
The tension inside the stadium was unbearable.
The Final Over
After a dramatic nineteenth over, the match came down to the final six balls.
Team B – 136/5
They needed 7 runs from 6 balls.
The same bowler who dismissed Arjun returned for the final over.
The captain spread the field everywhere.
Every player looked tense.
The crowd stood on their feet.
Ball 1.
The bowler ran in and delivered a full ball.
Ravi drove it calmly to long-off.
They ran one run.
6 needed from 5 balls.
Ball 2.
The new batsman faced the delivery.
The bowler bowled a perfect yorker.
The batsman missed.
Dot ball.
Pressure exploded.
Ball 3.
Another delivery on the pads.
The batsman flicked it through mid-wicket.
They ran two runs.
Now the equation became:
4 runs from 3 balls.
Ravi returned to strike.
The entire ground was silent.
The bowler ran in again.
Ball 4.
Short delivery.
Ravi reacted instantly.
He pulled it hard toward the gap between deep square leg and mid-wicket.
The ball raced across the field.
The fielders chased desperately.
But it was too late.
The ball touched the boundary rope.
FOUR!
Victory.
The stadium exploded like a volcano.
Players from Team B rushed onto the field.
Ravi raised his bat calmly.
The chase was complete.
The scoreboard flashed:
Team B – 144/5
From the pavilion, Arjun clapped proudly.
His early attack had created the path.
But Ravi had finished the battle.
A Silent Observer
Near the boundary rope, one man watched quietly.
His eyes followed both Arjun and Ravi carefully.
He did not celebrate.
He did not speak.
But something inside his mind had already begun.
That man was Karn.
And this match had just placed two names in his memory.