Chapter 66: Hitman
The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium was a cauldron of noise. The humid Hyderabad air hung heavy over the pitch, thick with the scent of sweat, dust, and mounting panic.
Aryan Sharma stood at the top of his mark, chest heaving. He had just removed Andrew Symonds—the Titan—caught and bowled. The Beast was gone.
But as Aryan wiped the sweat from his eyes, he saw the man standing at the non-striker's end.
Rohit Sharma.
The 20-year-old Rohit wasn't the bearded, ample-bellied "Hitman" of the future yet. He was young, lean, and radiated a lazy, terrifying elegance. He chewed his gum with a rhythmic nonchalance that contrasted sharply with the chaos around him.
Equation: 23 runs needed off 20 balls.
"Don't relax!" Shane Warne's voice cut through the celebration. "The head of the snake is still there!"
Warne pointed at Rohit.
The 17th Over Continues
Aryan had two balls left in his spell.
