The match was in the balance, Shiva who had bowled an excellent previous over had the ball. Sundar's team needed 10 off 12 balls. Prakash was the batsman. Shiva had spent eons setting up the field and started down the run up with utmost confidence, and the crowd (read five members) at his back. I was at square leg watching history in the making. Shiva bowled at a good length, and Prakash danced down the track, swiveled to face me and smacked the ball high up in the air in my direction.
I could only stand watch, with my mouth gaping as the ball sailed over me, over the boundary ropes, and way over the CSE Block roof, and was out of sight. Needless to say- the ball had disappeared over the tall CSE block and landed on its roof.
For moment, nothing happened. All eyes were glued on the CSE roof, as if waiting for the ball to come back all by itself. The next moment, pandemonium ensued. Everybody was running towards Shiva or Prakash, mostly Shiva to beat him up.
I could only watch and laugh knowingly, as I could understand how it would have felt to Shiva, already having been at the receiving end of a Sundar mauling a few matches. That over almost destroyed my career as a spin bowler.
Shiva was at a similar state now. Just the over before, he had been a hero. Now everyone was blaming him for the abandonment of the match- everyone believed the ball had been lost because of his poor bowling.
Prakash stood there, bemused at his own shot, and his power. It was to become his forte soon- power hitting. This was the moment that started it all. It is one of the most enduring moments of cricket in SSN.
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