ENCHANTED, shubman gill

ONE

"Thank you, Max, great race" Anya said with a smile as Max Verstappen nodded in acknowledgement and departed to celebrate his victory in the first race of the season leaving Anya bathed in the fading desert light. With practised grace, she steered the broadcast to its close.

"And that, dear viewers, is all we have time for from the Bahrain International Circuit. Join me again next week, as Formula One descends upon the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Until then, goodnight to our friends across Fox Sports, and a brand new day to those already greeting the dawn in Australia."

"Great work team," Anya said to the camera staff, wrapping things up with a smile. " I'll be grabbing a bite in the hospitality before I call it a night. Thanks again for everything, and see you later and good night to anyone catching some early sleep."

Stepping into the media pen, Anya's gaze swept across the room, landing on a cluster of familiar faces already settled around a table. A warm smile curved her lips. "Largo día, Melisa?" she inquired, her Spanish lilting slightly as she greeted the DAZN reporter. Melisa's response was a radiant smile and a wave.

Turning her attention to another table, Anya spotted the Sky Sports crew. "Hey there, Natalie, What's for dinner, Crofty?" she queried, approaching their table with easy camaraderie. Crofty, ever the gracious, gestured towards the enticing spread before him. "A little bit of everything, but I assure you, the pasta is particularly delightful," he declared with a knowing grin.

Anya's stomach rumbled in pleasant agreement with Crofty's suggestion. "Pasta it is, then," she declared with a smile, heading towards the food counter with a lightness in her step. Returning with a plate piled high, she gravitated towards the Sky Sports table, where a few other media personnel had assembled.

Among them sat Karun, his brow furrowed in concentration as his gaze fixated on a nearby screen. "Hey, Karun, what are we watching?" Anya inquired, placing her plate down with a gentle clink.

Startled from his reverie, Karun glanced up at Anya. "Ah, Anya," he acknowledged with a sheepish grin. "Just some test match highlights - India versus Australia. The wretched schedule had me tied up all day, and I completely missed it live." Anya raised an eyebrow in amusement. "And who won?"

Karun's smile dimmed slightly. "Australia, by a margin of nine wickets," he replied. "Lovely, isn't it?" Anya remarked with a smile directed at Karun.

"Lovely for you, not for me," he muttered, eyes glued back to the screen where the Australian batsmen celebrated.

A mischievous glint flickered in Natalie's eyes. "Speaking of loyalties, Anya," she began, leaning forward conspiratorially, "with your dad being Indian, does watching cricket ever spark a bit of friendly family rivalry? We all know how passionate things can get during a good cricket match."

Anya chuckled, the weight of the long broadcast day momentarily lifting. "Not quite the internal struggle you might think," she admitted. "My mum's a die-hard Aussie, true blue through and through. Dad immigrated as a toddler, so the Baggy Green runs deep in his veins. He's managed to hold onto his religious beliefs and the cuisine, bless his heart. But decades spent married to a white woman, well, let's just say Aussie culture has thoroughly colonized our home."

"Well, Anya, even if your home life is free of friendly fire, this being a World Cup year, you've got the rest of us to contend with! We had a cracking tournament last year, and I wouldn't be surprised if Buttler leads England to glory again."

Anya, her competitive spirit piqued, countered with a confident smile, "Oh please, Crofty, we all know Australia is the undisputed heavyweight. This trophy's coming Down Under this year, mark my words."

Karun, unable to contain himself, interjected, "That's where you're both off the mark! India's the clear favourite. Have you seen Gill's form lately? It's otherworldly! And Kohli, well, his batting is on another planet altogether. Sharma's building a real juggernaut there."

A hush fell over the table as Amber, the usually quiet Viaplay presenter, spoke up in a tentative voice, "There have been whispers about the Netherlands being a dark horse this year..."

The room erupted in a cacophony of laughter. "Come on, Amber," Crofty chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye, "let's keep our feet firmly on the ground!"