A few more months passed, and by September, the DDCA League 2011 season finally came to an end.
All 14 league matches were done.
WDCA had played every one of them, and won 13.
The only loss came in a match where they had deliberately rested all their key players. It had been a chance for the reserve players to step up and put themselves in the selectors' sight. Winning hadn't mattered that day.
Now, it was time for the semi-finals.
Their opponents were familiar. Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy.
WDCA had beaten them once already earlier in the season, but that only made this match more charged. LBSA wanted revenge, and they had the reputation to back that hunger. After all, they were LBSA. The academy that had produced Gautam Gambhir, the most famous Delhi cricketer of the time.
The match was held at St. Stephen's College Ground, often called the Lord's of Delhi, it was known for its lush greenery and the best pitch in the city. A surface that carried true pace, offered bounce, and rewarded fast bowlers far more than spinners.
That worked in WDCA's favor.
They were at full strength today. Every key player was back in the XI and because the semi-final was scheduled on a Sunday, the ground was packed. Parents filled the stands, college students lingered around the boundary, and even faculty members had come to watch. The atmosphere felt different, heavier, more serious.
Coach Abhimanyu had already told them why.
"Selectors are here," he had said earlier.
That alone was enough to make the younger players restless. At this age, most of them hadn't yet faced the harsh reality of the cricketing world. They still believed, in dreams of Delhi caps, India jerseys, and long careers.
Abhay watched them quietly.
He knew better.
For most players here, this league would be the end of the road. Many were 13 or 14, standing at the age where parents began pushing studies harder than sport. Others would continue playing, but talent alone wouldn't be enough.
From millions of cricketers, only a handful made it.
Only 15 wore the blue jersey at a time.
That was the reality.
Abhay didn't let it distract him.
As long as he played his game, doors would keep opening. One step at a time. Eventually, they would lead where he wanted them to.
~~~
The toss was held and LBSA won. Once again, they chose to bat first.
WDCA gathered near the boundary as Coach Abhimanyu pulled them into a huddle.
"Alright, kids," he said, voice calm but firm. "You've worked hard for months. Now it's time to claim the prize. Just one more game, and you're in the final."
He looked at each of them in turn.
"Do your best. Show your best play. And most importantly, have fun."
"Yes, Coach!" the team shouted together.
Abhimanyu smiled, then leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.
"Also," he added, "the selectors are right there."
He nodded discreetly toward a stand where two men sat, watching quietly.
"Impress them," he said. "And the road to Delhi opens too. Alright?"
The response came instantly.
"YES, COACH!"
The huddle broke.
LBSA's openers walked out to the middle. WDCA's fielders spread into position, studs crunching lightly against the grass.
Abhay took his place, eyes already fixed on the pitch.
The semi-final had begun.
And there was no room for mistakes now.
~
LB Shastri Academy began their innings with purpose.
They knew the surface at St. Stephen's College Ground well. The ball came on nicely, and the outfield was quick. Their openers didn't rush, but they weren't timid either, driving on the up, punching through the gaps, forcing WDCA to spread the field early.
The first ten overs passed steadily.
WDCA's pacers found movement, but LBSA negotiated it well, especially square of the wicket.
[LBSA 48/0]
[10 OVERS]
Abhay was stationed at point initially, already alert, already moving with the ball.
The first breakthrough came from the other end, an edge to slip in the twelfth over. The wicket slowed LBSA briefly, but their number three settled in quickly, rotating strike and rebuilding with the remaining opener.
Abhay was introduced in the 14th over.
Ball 1: Good length, angled across. Defended.
Ball 2: Fuller. Driven, but straight to cover, the fielder moved a step to his right and stopped it cleanly.
Ball 3: Back of a length. The batter pushed for a single. Ashnir charged in, picked up cleanly, and threw in one motion.
Direct hit.
The batter was short.
Run out.
They high fived and went back to their spots.
~
LBSA adjusted after that, accelerating cautiously. One batter played a fluent knock, driving the spinners and working the pacers into gaps. Boundaries came more regularly through the middle overs.
By the halfway point:
[LBSA 118/2]
[20 OVERS]
WDCA rotated their bowlers, trying to break the rhythm. Abhay was brought back for his second spell in the 22nd over.
Ball 1: Good length outside off. Left alone. Dot.
Ball 2: Slightly fuller. Defended. Dot.
Ball 3: Short of a length. Beaten.. Dot.
Ball 4: Slower delivery. Early push, straight to the fielder at point, he fielded softly, denying the single. Dot.
Ball 5: On off stump. Blocked. Dot.
Ball 6: Good length again. Played back to the bowler. Dot.
It was a maiden but LBSA responded by attacking the other bowlers, lifting the run rate without taking undue risks against Abhay. Still, they couldn't ignore him forever.
In the 27th over, they tried.
Ball 1: Fuller length. The batter drove on the rise.
Abhay reacted instantly, low dive to his right, one hand outstretched.
Caught.
The crowd buzzed at the great catch.
WICKET.
Ball 2: New batter. Good length. Defended. Dot.
Ball 3: Slightly quicker. The batter went back late, inside edge onto pad.
Appeal.
Finger raised.
Two wickets in the over.
LBSA slowed again and then the fielding tightened further.
In the 31st over, a mistimed lofted shot sailed toward deep cover. Abhay sprinted back, eyes locked on the ball, judging the rope perfectly. He slowed just enough, took the catch inches inside the boundary, and released the ball upward to show control before stepping back in.
Applause followed loudly from everyone.
Later, another sharp moment.
A soft push into the covers but the batter hesitated.
Abhay charged in, barehanded pickup, flat throw at the non-striker's end.
Gone.
Another run out.
LBSA rallied in the final overs.
A lower-order batter played a brief cameo, swinging freely and collecting a few boundaries. WDCA allowed the singles, protected the fence, and kept their lines disciplined.
Abhay bowled his final over in the 37th, conceding a couple of boundaries but also forcing a mistimed loft that fell just short of the fielder.
He finished his spell quietly.
[ABHAY – 7 OVERS, 1 MAIDEN, 42 RUNS, 3 WICKETS]
LBSA pushed hard till the end, but the damage had already been done.
When the innings closed:
[LBSA 242/7]
[40 OVERS]
It was competitive but not enough.
As the teams walked off, Abhay adjusted his cap, breathing steady. He hadn't dominated with the ball, but he had controlled, contributed, and made his presence felt everywhere.
That was one part of the game and now it was time to chase.
~
WDCA began the chase with clarity.
The target was 243, and on a pitch like this, it was never about reckless hitting. The openers, Ashnir and his partner, settled in quickly, respecting the good deliveries and punishing anything loose.
The outfield was quick. Timing mattered more than power.
LBSA tried everything early, pace, swing, even a spinner inside the powerplay, but WDCA were comfortable. The openers rotated strike smoothly, pushing the field back without ever forcing the issue.
By the 10th over, the pressure had already begun to shift.
[WDCA 68/0]
Ashnir was fluent, driving on the up whenever the ball was full. His partner played the supporting role well, running hard and keeping the scoreboard moving.
The next ten overs followed the same rhythm with no panic and no risks. Just clean cricket.
At the halfway mark:
[WDCA 140/0]
[20 OVERS]
That was when the first wicket finally fell.
Ashnir tried to lift a fuller delivery straight down the ground. The timing was just off. The ball carried to long-off, where the fielder completed a simple catch.
Ashnir walked back on 82, just short of a deserved century.
The crowd gave a small, respectful applause.
He nodded once and crossed the rope.
[WDCA 140/1]
The new batter walked in without fuss.
WDCA didn't slow down.
Singles continued to flow, the occasional boundary coming whenever the bowler strayed in length. LBSA sensed an opening and pushed their fielders in, trying to force a mistake.
It didn't come immediately.
By the 25th over, WDCA had moved well ahead but that's when the second wicket fell to a mistimed sweep, unfortunate, but harmless in the bigger picture.
[WDCA 186/2]
[25 OVERS]
Only 57 runs were needed now and 15 overs remained.
Abhay walked in.
He tapped his bat once, looked at his partner, and thumped gloves.
"Let's finish this quickly," he said quietly.
His partner nodded.
From the very first ball, Abhay made his intent clear.
Ball 1: Good length outside off. Abhay leaned into it and drove through covers.
Four.
Ball 2: Shorter this time. He rocked back and pulled along the ground.
Four again.
Ball 3: Slower ball. Waited then guided past point.
Two runs.
The bowler adjusted his field but it didn't help.
LBSA tried changing ends, then changing pace, but Abhay was already in rhythm. Anything even slightly loose was punished. Anything tight was rotated calmly.
By the end of the 28th over, the equation had become trivial.
[WDCA 237/2]
The bowlers looked resigned.
The selectors, seated in the stands, watched closely now.
29th Over
The bowler ran in.
He missed his length, full, on middle. Abhay cleared his front leg and swung freely.
The ball left the bat with a clean, unmistakable sound.
It sailed high.
Past the boundary.
Straight into the stands.
Right where the selectors were sitting.
Six.
The match was over.
[WDCA 243/2]
[28.4 OVERS]
[Abhay Khanna 38 (16)*]
The moment the winning six was confirmed, the WDCA players spilled onto the field.
They rushed toward Abhay, who had just taken off his helmet, and before he could react, he was tackled to the ground. Laughter broke out as all fifteen boys piled on top of one another, uncaring of sweat, dirt, or aching limbs.
Abhay didn't resist.
He just lay there, smiling.
The victory felt good, but somewhere beneath that happiness, he knew the truth.
The real test was still ahead.
One week later came the final.
One more performance and the doors to the Delhi team would finally open.
~
After a short while, the umpires stepped in and asked WDCA to clear the field. The boys untangled themselves reluctantly and lined up for the customary handshakes.
The contrast was clear.
Some of the LBSA players were crying quietly. Others looked angry, jaws tight, eyes burning. A few simply stared ahead with defeated expressions, unable to process the loss yet.
Cricket was cruel like that.
They shook hands anyway, quick, formal and respectful.
Since this was a semi-final, the usual medal was replaced by a small trophy for the Man of the Match. It was handed to Ashnir, the captain, for his composed knock of 82 runs. It was given by Chetan Sharma, the Vice President of the then DDCA.
He accepted it with quiet dignity, nodding toward his teammates.
Certificates were distributed soon after.
Then the teams broke apart.
The WDCA players rushed toward their families, voices overlapping as they relived moments from the match. Abhay was quickly surrounded by his own, his parents and sister, pulled into another tight huddle.
Praises were exchanged, smiles everywhere.
After a brief celebration at the ground, they headed back home.
The day had been long.
The win had been earned and with just one match left, the future felt closer than ever.
~~~~~
{The rest of the team is not useless, they know how to play too.}