Aditi's mood lit up when her phone buzzed. Ishan's name flashed on the screen. Her heart skipped a beat as she answered.

"Hey." Ishan said, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine.

"Hello." Aditi replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

And their conversation began. Aditi's voice bubbled with excitement as she spoke to Ishan. "I am so nervous. The contest is just around the corner."

Ishan's calm tone soothed her. "You'll do great! You've worked hard."

Aditi smiled and said. "I have invited you to the contest. I really want you to be there."

Ishan's pause made Aditi's heart race. "I would love to be there, but..."

"But? What is it?" Aditi asked, concern creeping in.

"The IPL starts soon, and I have a match on the day of your finals." Ishan explained.

Aditi's face fell, but she quickly rallied. "It's okay! I understand. Your match is important."

Ishan's voice filled with empathy. "I'll be cheering for you anyways, and we will celebrate afterwards. Deal?"

Aditi smiled hopefully. "Deal!"

                      
↼↼↼↼↼↼↼↼↼↼↼↼↼↼↼

IPL 2018.

The sun shone over the cricket stadium with a glow over the lush green field. The air was filled with chatters of the fans, as today marked the start of the IPL and Ishan's debut with his new team, Mumbai Indians.

Ishan stood confidently alongside his teammates, donning the iconic blue and gold jersey with his name and number emblazoned on the back. His heart pounded with excitement but his focus remained.

As the opening batsman, he took to the crease, the opposition's bowler eyed him. The first ball hurtled towards him and with a swift swing of his bat, Ishan sent it to the covers of the boundary. The crowd erupted and his teammates cheered.

Ishan's determination shone brighter than the sun. His feet moved swiftly between wickets. He pulled boundaries with elegant drives and sprinted with his partner.

—

Aditi, oblivious to the match's start, relaxed in her hotel room, flipping through the pages of a magazine. Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a notification from a news app. "Ishan's debut match underway."

She mentally slapped herself in realisation, laughing. "How could I forget?"

With a calm smile, she turned on the TV and navigated to the sports channel in which the match was telecasting. The screen lit, showing Ishan carefully observing the opponent's bowling attack.

"Wow! He is on fire." Aditi exclaimed, eyes glued to the screen.

As the innings progressed, Ishan's batting shone. It came to an end as he got clean-bowled. The crowd applauded his performance and cheered him up.

44 runs off 23 balls. As he walked back to the pavilion, his teammates greeted him with smiles and pats on his back. "Well played!" Rohit exclaimed and Ishan smiled humbly.

When his team's innings ended, they had amassed 178 runs.

The opposite team began their innings and donned the wicketkeeper gloves. His quick reflexes and sharp instincts stunned everyone. Aditi watched, mesmerized as Ishan's skills unfolded. She couldn't help but cheer him on.

Ishan's wicketkeeping skills were on display next. He dove to his side, attempting to take a catch.

"Oh! Nice try." Aditi said in a low voice.

As the opposition team chased the score and won the match, players of Mumbai Indians walked off the field, head held high. Though they lost, the mood remained lightened.

"It was a great day," Rohit said. "We have got a lot to build on."

In the hotel room, Aditi's face fell momentarily before she smiled.

"Unbelievable!" She exclaimed, a thrilling smile on her face.

Social media exploded with praise for Ishan.

"Ishan's debut with MI!"

"44 off 23 on debut with one of the most successful teams?"

"Ishan's impressive performance signal promise for the team."

—

Ishan walked into the post-match press conference.

"Your first match with MI was on fire," a journalist said. "How does it feel?"

Ishan smiled humbly and said. "It's just one match. We have got a long way to go.

Reporters praised his attitude and skills. As Ishan left the conference, his teammates patted him on the back.

"You set the tone for this season." Mayank said.

Ishan's phone flooded with messages from fellow cricketers.

"Welcome to twenty20!"

"You are trending!"

—

Aditi dialed Ishan's number, excitement coursing through her veins.

"Hey, Ishan!" Aditi exclaimed when he answered.

"Hey what's up? Congratulations aren't needed but I'll take them." Ishan chuckled.

"Seriously, you were amazing! I wished I could have been part of the crowd." Aditi gushed.

"I know right? The energy was electric, their cheers boosted up." Ishan agreed.

"Exactly! I felt it even watching on TV. You fed off their energy." Aditi said.

"You are analyzing my game now?" Ishan said, laughing.

"Someone has to keep you grounded." She retorted playfully.

Ishan's tone turned encouraging. "Now, focus on your pageant. You are almost there."

"I will. Thanks for the pep talk." Aditi said, determined.

"So? When will I see you in action?" Ishan asked.

"Soon," Aditi teased. "Cheer me on."

"Front row, center." Ishan said, with a warm smile.

Aditi giggled. "Don't get too distracted."

She then asked. "How did your family react?"

"Mom couldn't stop smiling and dad kept replaying my innings, even though I made it to 44 runs only." Ishan said, enthusiasm filling his voice.

"That's so sweet." Aditi chuckled.

His excitement grew. "And my brother? He is my biggest fan. He has been sharing clips on stories."

"They are proud of you." Aditi laughed.

"Yeah. They have been supporting me.  And friends, relatives, everyone is sending me congratulatory messages." Ishan smiled.

Aditi decided to change the topic to refresh Ishan's mind beyond his usual sports routine. At that moment, Ishan asked her about the pageant contest and how they were going.

"Oh, it's going really well! I have been practicing a lot and feeling more confident." Aditi explained.

"Great! I think all the practice is paying off," Ishan said. "What's the finale date?"

Aditi replied. "It's yet to be announced, but most probably it will be next week."

Ishan gets surprised at how only a few days are left. He encourages Aditi to give her best, to which she says, "You're always so supportive."

Ishan laughs it off and asks Aditi if she can come to any of his matches after the finale. She pauses for a while and replied. "It's not possible as I have to attend some fashion shows after that. But I promise to come to your international matches! That debut isn't far off, you know." She teased, her voice filled with pride and amusement.

Ishan smiled, feeling grateful for all the wishes she has given him. "Already so optimistic? Sure, I'll give it my all." He said, chuckling.

Aditi laughed and then her voice took on her serious tone, her words infused with genuine concern. "Ishan, today's match was phenomenal but you know what's next, don't you? Consistency. You need to sustain this performance level to make your international cricket debut."

Ishan's voice dripped with amusement, laced with playful teasing. "My personal game analyst is back in action. Your expert advice is priceless, and by expert, I mean brutally honest."

Aditi's laughter echoed through the line, her joy infectious. "Yeah! Brutally honest, as always."

Ishan's voice tone shifted from playful to sincere. "Seriously, Aditi, you offer more insightful advice than my coaches sometimes. Your understanding of the game is uncanny. You see things others miss, the subtleties, the nuances, strategic plays. You should be working with the cricket council instead of modelling."

Aditi's melodious laughter filled the air, her voice tinged with surprise and a hint of embarrassment. "Ishan, that's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. But thank you for the vote of confidence. I think I'll stick to modelling for now. Besides, I don't think the cricket world is ready for a fashionista like me."

Ishan persisted. "No! Your unique perspective would be an asset. You would bring a fresh voice to the table. Who knows?"

Aditi's heart was touched by Ishan's praise. She imagined herself in the cricket boardroom, surrounded by professionals, offering innovative insights. As her imagination ran wild, Ishan's voice interrupted her reverie, his voice playful and teasing.

"Oyee! Come out of the cricket world now," Ishan said, chuckling. "You are getting lost in thoughts."

"You just caught me. I was imagining myself as a cricket mogul." Aditi said, her voice filled with amusement.