"Mom please! You know cricket is so boring for me, please can dad take Adi to watch the bloody match?" I sighed heavily.

I was now comfortably lying on the sofa in my hotel room and was so unbothered to move.

We had come to England for 2 weeks as my dad had some conferences and Adi, my 7 year old brother and I were also on our summer break.

"Shanaya, you know your dad has a meeting today at work and I have to go to Gitu aunty's house for a visit. Pichli baar I couldn't see her so kitna tamasha hua tha, She didn't even thank me for gifting her such an expensive sari!"
Mom's eyes widened at this distant memory.

I clicked my tongue in exasperation and gave in. Surprise surprise, guess who had to go to the match after all.

"Mujhe hi sab kuch karna padta hai" I whimpered.

Adi stuck his tongue out at me.

"Dekhti hu tumhe baad mein"

"Adi hurry up and get ready. I have to go for a movie after this with my friends." I quickly brushed my hair and put on some makeup.

Adi came out flexing his blue oppo shirt while I couldn't care less whether or not India would win.

~at the stadium~

Old Trafford had changed since the last time I was here. All around me fans were screeching in excitement. It felt as if someone was physically drumming my ears. My head felt numb from all the noise as I had always preferred the peace and quiet and low key events.

Adi was bobbing up and down in extreme anticipation and excitement while I sat with my arms folded, my lips completely straight as if someone had stitched them tight.

India was batting first and someone, I think it was Rohit? - he hit a six and all the Indians in the house leaped upwards, displaying animalistic features as they went wild.

Meanwhile I sat with my arms folded, expressionless.

3 hours went by like a slug and I started to yawn when there was a break. After the break, the opposition team would bat.

"Adi, stay here I'm gonna get us some drinks. I'm so done with this right now." I ordered my 7 year old brother.

At last I struggled to seep through the pack of fans dancing around and reached the entrance to the indoor part of the stadium.

"Oh my God, did I take my wallet?" I gasped and began to rummage through my handbag. I was completely submerged in my business until something hard hit me as I turned the corner.

"OUCH!" I squealed after crashing into a person dressed in blue.

I wrinkled up my face in pain and first opened my eyes to see strong muscular hands in front of me. My bedazzled face turned into a display of horror and surprise at the same time when I saw that it was none other than a cricketer. That too from India.

My eyes fell upon his hair that blowed beautifully in the gentle wind that reached our face from the door. His bushy eyebrows were strained as he tried to process what had happened.

For some reason I had completely dissolved into his eyes that were a gorgeous shade of light brown, almost reminding me of a summer, making me feel comforted.

This was the one time when I wish I had known Indian cricketers' names. I didn't even know what to say.

"I'm so sorry, I j-" I began.

"It's alright, excuse me." Was all the young cricketer said and made his way past me with a soft smile dancing on his lips. I swear I had seen him before; this constant smile. Was my inability to stop watching his face because he seemed familiar or something else?

I was hoping he'd say more.

"What the hell Shanaya, why were you staring at him like that?!?! Omg he's gonna think you're such a creep!" I rolled my eyes, regretting my awkwardness around him.

There was something about him that made me want to see him again.

Funny I say that, as he is the first to bowl against the batsman.

I see him again and suddenly heart leaps up, I have no idea why. Just seeing him do his thing and bowl so confidently makes me happy as he takes wickets ever so frequently.

He runs his hands through his hair as he high fives the other cricketers when the run up to him to congratulate him for his awesome bowling.

For the first time in this match, I felt pride and happiness at something. It wasn't as boring now as I thought it would be....

"Hey Adi, who's that over there, with the ball?"

"The one who's bowling?"

"Yeah?" I nodded fast.

"Omg Di that's Bumrah - the best bowler in the world. Urgh you know nothing."

Adi's moan didn't stop me smiling stupidly and I had no control over it whatsoever. I just continued to watch his intriguing movement.

Then, another break was announced.

"Adi I'm going to get another Coke okay?"

"Such an unhealthy person" Adi began.

I ignored him and went to the same place I had seen the boy, Bumrah - the best bowler in the world. I hoped I would see him again.

I waited patiently, titling my head in all directions and seeing if any of the players would come here to fill up their bottles or anything.

Just then, the same guy came and I had to sulk my cheeks inwards to stop smiling like a freak.

He smiled as he looked at me with surprise. He was just about to walk past when I said:

"Hey."

He said a quiet "Hey" and just then I realised it was getting awkward.

"Are you okay, like - do you need anything?" He said, kinda awkwardly as I just stood there trying to think of something to say.

"Um, yeah - err. I'm Shanaya. Nice to meet you." I held out a hand for a handshake.

"I'm Jaspreet." He nodded and returned my shake. He began to walk past me again and I stopped him abruptly. Wait - he said his name is Jaspreet, not Bumrah? Had I got the right person? Maybe I'm just seeing this guy everywhere now.

He was speechless.

"Wait - you're Jaspreet. So who's Bumrah?" I said out loud.

His surprised expression just turned into an endless laugh. He grabbed his stomach and could not control himself.

Err, what?

"Sorry, um - I should go..." I began. Was there something on my face? Had my mascara smudged? Was I still smiling like the creepy doll, Annabelle?"

A myriad of frightful scenarios played in my head and turned to go.

"I am Bumrah." The man began.

"Jaspreet Bumrah." His strong voice made me stop in my tracks.

I turned to see him with that cheeky playful smile displaying his pearly whites still plastered on his face that was trying so hard to contain his laughter, his hands in his pockets.

I felt the heat circulating in my cheeks.

Oh. My. God.

What the hell. How embarrassing.

I had just embarrassed myself in front of the best bowler in the world.

"Oh, I'm - I'm so so sorry. Again." This time I was speechless. "See I don't watch cricket so, like I'm just here for my brother" I shrugged and laughed hesitantly.

Kya Shanaya?! Come on yaar

"Fair enough" Jaspreet smirked.

"You should watch it more often." He said softly, and walked past me into the dressing room.

I felt the corners of my mouth twitching into a smile.

Just then the security guards caught up to me.

"Maam, this is a prohibited area, why are you here? Please leave."

I left obediently, still in shock at Bumrah, I mean Jaspreet.

Till the end of the match I couldn't stop thinking about him.

"Di, lets go h- OMG BUMRAH!!!! BUMRAH!!!! DI LOOK NA ITS BUMRAH LETS GO TO HIM PLEASE NA DI!!!" Adi screamed as he ran all the way down the stands to the field where Bumrah was talking with the stadium officers.

"I'd rather not." I muttered, now unable to even look at Bumrah after the incident.

Bumrah smiled as he saw my brother bounding up to him. Adi was squealing as Bumrah placed a hand on his shoulder and high fived him. Some other cricketers who Adi seemed to know like they're his family approached them and the boys all started talking.

He's so good with kids

Shanaya. Snap out of it. I gathered myself together.

Just then, Jaspreet noticed me standing at a small distance from the cricket boys and my brother.

"Hi Mam, are you looking for Jaspreet or Bumrah?" Hardik Pandya teased, laughing and making Jaspreet, Virat and MS share his laughter.

The joke had been shared in the dressing room. Great.

My cheeks turned red at this. Now the whole cricketing fraternity would know of my blunder.

I shuffled my feet as Bumrah said/

"Yaar ab chhod bhi do. Would you like an autograph?" He offered me, perhaps to make up for his teammates teasing me.

It didn't feel they were a professional team, more like a bunch of great friends.

Hardik and the other cricketers watched him in utter surprise, almost as if he never asks this to anyone.

"Um okay." I couldn't think of what to say.

He signed a piece of paper and gave one nod, meanwhile everyone fistbumped Adi with a high five.

"Adi lets go. It's getting late." I said.

Bumrah didn't say bye to me, his nod sufficed.

"Di how amazing was that!!!"

"When's the next match?" I asked him.

"In two days."

"Two days...." I repeated to myself, smiling down at my phone as I set a reminder to myself.