With the Oakridge top order dismantled and their confidence shattered, the rest of their innings was less of a cricket match and more of a slow, agonizing execution.
Every time an Oakridge batsman tried to rebuild, the looming threat of Rohan’s return end hung over them like a guillotine. Coach Sharma rotated his spinners, keeping the pressure tight. The pitch, still carrying moisture and live grass, gave every bowler a sudden boost in movement because the Oakridge boys were far too terrified to step out of their creases.
By the 28th over, Oakridge was languishing at 92/7.
"Rohan," Coach Sharma called out, handing him the now scuffed, soft red leather ball. "Finish this. Don’t let their tail-enders stretch this past a hundred."
Rohan stood up from the wooden bench, cracking his neck. He rolled his right shoulder—it felt fresh, untired, a direct result of his upgraded 31 Stamina.
He walked back to his mark at the pavilion end.
The two remaining Oakridge tail-enders looked at Rohan approaching the crease like condemned men watching the executioner walk up the steps.
Rohan didn’t use the full 129 km/h thunderbolts. He didn’t need to. He dialed it back to a razor-sharp 122 km/h, focusing entirely on seam movement and brutal accuracy.
Over 29, Ball 1: A late-dipping full toss that shattered the off-stump of the number nine batsman.
Over 29, Ball 3: An inswinging yorker that trapped the number eleven dead in front of his pads before he could even complete his defensive stroke.
CLACK!
The umpire’s arm shot up instantly.
Oakridge International: 96 ALL OUT (28.3 Overs).
The silence that fell over the Oakridge campus was deafening. The scoreboard blinked the humiliating numbers in bright LED lights. The elite school, equipped with state-of-the-art biomechanics labs and state-level prodigies, had been bundled out for under two digits by a public school they had mocked just two hours prior.
Rohan’s match figures were staggering:
6.3 Overs — 2 Maidens — 9 Runs — 4 Wickets.
As the St. Peter’s players roared and ran toward Rohan to celebrate, a majestic, golden interface materialized in his vision, completely blinding him to his surroundings for a brief second.
[Ding!]
[Main Quest: The Giant Slayer — COMPLETED!]
Objective 1 (Dismiss Yashvardhan Ahuja): PASSED [S-Rank]
Objective 2 (Restrict Oakridge below 150): PASSED [S-Rank — Target held to 96]
Overall Quest Performance: S-Rank (Absolute Dominance)
[Distributing Rewards...]
• +50 System Points (SP)
• [Advanced Skill Tree] UNLOCKED!
• Unique Trait Acquired: [Giant Slayer’s Aura] (Passive: Opponents with higher ratings or elite reputation suffer a -10% initial confidence debuff when facing you).
[Bonus Reward for S-Rank Completion:]
• 1x Medium Attribute Potion (Physique/Stamina +5)
• 1x Intermediate Seam Control Blueprint
Rohan stared at the overwhelming flood of rewards, his heart hammering against his ribs in pure excitement. Fifty SP in a single match! Plus a trait, an attribute potion, and an advanced skill tree!
"Rohan! Bro, what are you staring at?!" Kabir yelled, jumping onto Rohan’s back and throwing his arm around his neck. "We just rolled them for 96! 96, man! We only need 97 to win!"
Rohan pulled himself back to reality, dismissing the glowing blue screen with a thought. He patted Kabir’s arm with a rare, genuine laugh. "It’s only half the job, Kabir. We still have to bat."
"Bat?" Kabir scoffed, waving his hand dismissively as they walked off the field. "Bro, even Aryan can score 20 runs on this pitch now that their spirit is broken. We’re winning this!"
As they walked past the Oakridge dugout, Yashvardhan Ahuja sat alone on the bench, staring blankly at his pristine whites. He looked up as Rohan walked by. For a fraction of a second, their eyes met.
There was no arrogance left in Yashvardhan’s gaze—only a deep, lingering shock and a trace of fear. Rohan didn’t gloat; he simply gave a subtle, polite nod and kept walking.
The run chase was an absolute formality.
Oakridge’s bowlers, mentally drained and demoralized by their catastrophic batting collapse, lacked their usual bite. Aryan, eager to salvage whatever pride he had left, batted with cautious aggression, scoring a steady 42 not out.
In just 18.2 overs, St. Peter’s reached 98/2, securing a crushing 8-wicket victory over the tournament favorites.
When the final runs were scored, the St. Peter’s dugout went wild. Coach Sharma was actually wiping a tear from his eye as he shook the opposing coach’s reluctant hand.
During the post-match presentation, the Oakridge principal reluctantly handed the ’Player of the Match’ trophy to Rohan Roy.
It was a sleek, silver cup. Rohan held it in his hands, feeling the cold weight of the metal. Just three weeks ago, he was a bench-warmer carrying water bottles and being threatened with expulsion. Today, he held the trophy of the biggest upset in regional school cricket history.
By 6:00 PM, the rattling St. Peter’s bus was heading back through the Delhi traffic. The mood inside was electric—the boys were singing, shouting, and reliving every wicket.
Rohan sat in his usual window seat at the back, his kit bag between his knees and the silver trophy tucked safely in his lap. Kabir was fast asleep beside him, exhausted from all his shouting.
Rohan pulled out his phone. He had a WhatsApp message from Ananya.
Ananya: "I saw the live score update on the tournament app! 4 wickets for 9 runs?! You actually destroyed them! Coach Sharma just posted a picture of you with the MOM trophy in the school group. You’re officially a hero, Roy. Cold coffee is on me on Monday."
Rohan smiled, typing back a quick response:
Rohan: "Hold onto that coffee. We have a tournament to win."
He locked his phone and closed his eyes, sinking deep into his Mindscape interface to review his new gains.
[Rohan Roy — Host Status Panel]
Overall Rating: 32 / 100 (Grade: E - Emerging Amateur)
[Physical Attributes]
• Physique: 31/100
• Stamina: 31/100
• Agility: 22/100
[Bowling Attributes]
• Pace: 112 km/h (Base) / 129.4 km/h (Peak)
• Line & Length: 13/100
• Swing/Seam: 10/100
System Points (SP): 58
Traits: [Giant Slayer’s Aura]
Inventory: 1x Medium Attribute Potion, 1x Intermediate Seam Control Blueprint.
Fifty-eight System Points sitting in his bank. An unlocked Advanced Skill Tree waiting to be explored. An intermediate seam control blueprint that could turn his raw 130 km/h pace into a lethal, swinging weapon.
Rohan looked out the bus window at the flickering streetlights of Delhi.
The Zonal Tournament was just the beginning. The State trials were coming up in two months. The IPL scouts, the national selectors, the elite academies—they didn’t know it yet, but a storm was brewing in the dusty alleys of West Delhi.
Rohan leaned his head back against the seat, a sharp, cold smile playing on his lips as the bus rattled into the night.
Let them come, he thought. I’m going to take it all.