Chapter 8:

Someone guilt & burst out.

The cricketer- ball to bat .


Jaan V stayed with her mom for a while, her mother said you must came in rush, I'm fine back to work.

   Jaan V don’t want to but her mother insisted, then Jaan V has to leave. Mira told as well. Because Mira knows, if Jaan V stay any longer, what consequences she would to face.

 Jaan V asked Mira to look after her mother. Call me once reached. 

   She got a her jersey bag from Mira & hugged her mother for a moment & left unwillingly.

   Mira looked sad ,watching Jaan V like this because she know how Jaan V feel right now & her situation. 

    Jaan V went to ladies restroom & turned herself to a boy ,get off earrings, chain, wore boys hair wig ,put her jersey & looked herself in the mirror & cried felt helpless. 

  She thought this is the way you chose ,so endure it.

    Then Jaan V came out from the restroom as cricketer Jaan V by wearing mask & cap.

   She took a cab ,reached stadium & went to men's dressing room. That was the time , for second part of the match which is India's turn to bowl. Then, he came to know India's run which is 199 runs. 

     While coach & Abhimanyu decided their strategy, the players were there. Coach noticed Jaan V is missing & asked where is Jaan V. 

   They looked at each other, when Abhimanyu about to say something, Jaan V said I'm here coach. Then, discussion continued. 

    Jaan V glanced Abhimanyu, Abhimanyu doubted when he came back & why he went ,that girl who took Jaan V, is she his girlfriend??.

  Jaan V mood off,she didn't listen. Then both teams on ground, now Australia gonna batting. Australia batters is their strength, they're pretty good at batting. 

    Indian team bowlers tried take wickets, but fielding. The fielders drop their catches. No matter how hard bowlers bowl with all they got. If fielders are weak ,nothing will work.

       Likewise, fielders dropped about 3 catches, they're all big wickets, Jaan V tried startle batters from hit the stump ,worked on somebody, those who stumbled & played with caution. 

    So Indian team got some wickets but it was too late, fielders didn't prevent runs & carelessness . In the end of the Australia won in 18th over with 202 runs .

   The crowd & players were sad & unhappy ,felt down. The crowd was disappointed, the players were drowned in sadness. Australian team celebrated their victory in ground, high five & hugged each other. 

    Indian team players hand shakes with a sad face. Then, players went to dressing room. As always Jaan V disappeared ,she after a moment she came back with dress changed.

    Jaan V was so down, coach encouraged them for next time & comfort them by saying win & losing is a game ,We'll do better next time. Lose teach us.

     We'll leave tomorrow morning for next matches ,go & take rest. Cheer up guys.

    Abhimanyu doesn't look sad but cool & relaxed ,Jaan V talked to her mom by walking in garden alone on mid night for a long time.

   Her mother gets Jaan V is still worried about her and protective as well. From her mother words, Jaan V  clearly understands her mom is missing her & want to stay with her but she's not saying it directly. 

   After her mother call ended, Mira called Jaan V asked how's the match went & Cheered her for next match. 

Jaan V asked, hey ,lawyer Saibha are you planning to watch my next match? In busy your schedule. 

Mira told, yes my sister is playing, I've to be there ,without me impossible. After my trial, I'll come. 

Mira asked What's with Abhimanyu? Did he do anything? You said earlier, you both don't share good equation. So be careful with him. 

Jaan V was like , if even he do anything, I don't care. I'll handle it. I'm heading to our city tomorrow for match & for sure I want spend some time with my mom.

   Mira knows , even if it is risky, Jaan V needs it. After ,she ended the call, Mira recalled what happened back then, it was a time when Jaan V lost her trust & hopes in humans, people around . Her mind couldn't focused on one stuffs. A full broken, sad lost her enthusiastic, energetic,happy person inside her. Her world went upside-down .

   She was leaned against the window & watched outside without any emotion,lost herself. Forgot to laugh not even angry always stayed quiet all time & no motivation. 

  Mira came to her ,she can't bear to see her like that . She took Sana with her to her flat. Maybe a new atmosphere might change her.

       Even in apartment, Sana stayed alone, not even talk to neighbors. Mira asked, " Sana plz tell me ,what's on your mind ?. How long are you planning to stay like this. Its been 6 months .Forget it & move on.

       Sana told," I've suffered something I've never done . Why???.

Mira was like OK let's do one thing, let's go to court ,sue them ,put a case against him. I'll be your lawyer. 

Sana said,no that's the mess, I can't live without playing cricket. 

Mira shocked, no no not again, are you gonna play cricket again? And around them who is reason of your current condition & those who deceived & betrayed you. What about your mom ,she hated cricket first ,after you convinced for long time ,for you she allowed to play cricket. 

    After the stuffs happened to you, now your mom hates even a cricket word to bone . You really think she'll agree .

    Sana told, I get it, my mom, my teammates who deceived me. But these days I feel like someone took away my breathe,lost my soul.

     I want to just play cricket, but in calm atmosphere, I don't want to prove myself to anybody nor want people deceived around me. Just me & my cricket. I don't want go through those senseless stuffs. 

Mira told, Sana now entire India know you ,that news people won't forget it easily nor that board member allow you to play in peace , ICC banned you , what do you wanna do ?.

   Sana told That's why, I want calm cricket atmosphere around, I'm  not interested any of the stuffs you mentioned, the reason they banned me ,I never did it ,I won't take any responsibility that I haven't done.

    I'm gonna play in men cricket not a woman,as a man . 

Mira feel dizzy for a moment, What're you upto?. Are you serious??.

I disguise as man & play cricket like I want ,when people does big crime and act on their own & never see right or wrong,  why should I do that. Nobody cares.

I know one day ,they will know I'm a girl. But until that I could play as much as I want ,I don't care about consequences after they know. 

About my mom, I don't want tell her this but to hid it ,I don't hurt her again by asking permission nor I could live without playing cricket. The day she knows ,after that I won't touch cricket again,leave it forever . Whatever happens, let's face it.

Mira saw like, Sana is obsessed with cricket ,she knows this is a only medicine could cure Sana. So agreed to help.

Present...

   Then,Jaan V went to sleep. There's a cricket match in 3 days against Pakistan. This is what  entire Indian fans eyes on . India & Pakistan rivalry match.

     In the morning, Jaan V awake with a nightmare, felt down. Coach gathered player for their next match against Pakistan & review morelike pros & cons of previous match. 

    AK watched comments in social media about their previous & some legendary  seniors cricketers opinion over yesterday match.

   The some comments came with positive & cheering up but lot came up with negative & scolding players. After reading it not only AK but everyone's mind blowed & pondering something negative thoughts. 

   Jaan V snatched the tab by saying don't watch evils. Because the tablet AK having is Jaan V's one.

   AK download & login in his account from Jaan V's tablet. So Jaan V  snatched & uninstall it immediately even without glance it nor read any comments . 

    Actually Jaan V don’t use social media, nor cared about it ever. Abhimanyu came, coaches asked where did they go wrong yesterday?.

  Everybody waved at each other, they knew what’s wrong but dare not to tell it to Abhimanyu. 

   Because Abhimanyu is not normal player but only son of ICC board president. There's a talk ,if Abhimanyu doesn't like somebody, they never could play cricket, he'll ruin their career. 

      So nobody was talking, Jaan V mind was distracted from yesterday when she saw her mom. 

    Coach was asking again, Jaan V got furious & said why don't you ask our captain Abhimanyu?. 

   Abhimanyu what were you thinking, only with the two spinners ,you could win the match without fast bowlers & yorker, are they here just for a showcase. What kind of illusion you were in. Australian Team well aware of our weakness, so they chose the players according, so we lost wickets one by one quickly. 

   Not mention fielding, we dropped two catches fielders were not prevent runs.

  You wanted to surprise opposite team with our players what roles they gonna play but our players clueless about themselves what role they are playing, is that your strategy?keep them in confusion. 

Yesterday, you were well aware of the pitch, you were supposed to chose bat first but still you chose on contrast . We won because they wasn't that strong team. You can't expect that everytime . You want us to win or help opposite team to win.

The room was in pin drop silent & stunned by Jaan V's question. All of them were expecting Jaan V to speak ,but when she speak no one dared to talk. 

  Jaan V questioned Abhimanyu, left right . Abhimanyu got furious are you willing to be a captain? ,both were stared at each other, their face looks scary.

Jaan V told, I'm just saying mistake ,We've to win our next two matches, unless forget the world cup trophy. 

 Jaan V left immediately in anger ,by slammed the door shut louder , before anybody could say something. 

   Jaan V was down & frustration and angry at herself & guilty because when she went see her mother ,she couldn't stay with her when she need the most nor could look after her, left her alone. Even when she came back to play but lost the match.

   That's made her feel, frustrated, guilty , angry at herself which vent out at Abhimanyu. She feels tensed,can't handle herself after a long time ,she was that upset with herself.