"And tomorrow, when we go out into the field, each of us must keep in mind we have been the best team in the tournament, just like we are the best country in the world, and if we all give our best, whether we win or lose, nobody can take that away from us."
Virat and Jadeja clapped. Hardik joined in instantly.
Shubman was about to, too, but Ishan nudged him, which was just as well because Rohit bhai gave the clappers murderous looks.
"Any of you have anything better to say?" he demanded.
They shook their heads like schoolkids beings scolded by the headmaster.
"You have to say something though, Virat," said Rohit bhai, now sounding sincere. "Over to the legend Virat Kohli-"
He took a seat and Virat bhai stood up amidst much clapping.
"I don't know what to say," said Virat bhai, and choked a little as he tried to say, "Let's...let's, uh, win this. I don't think a bigger day is going to come again in most of our lives...."
"You're already ruling us out from reaching the finals next time?" called Surya.
"Quiet," Ashwin said.
Virat tried to say something more, shook his head and sat down. Shubman was staring at his idol in a dizzy sort of way.
"And a word to the juniors," Rahul bhai added. "None of you are to open your phones again tonight or tomorrow morning before the finals. Lights off and bed, so you can wake up and nice and early tomorrow for the final practice session."
"Um, Rahul," said Rohit. "How early are you thinking of?"
"Seven?"
Rohit bhai nodded. Though normally he would certainly have protested and tried to delay the session even by an hour if he could, today he just nodded grimly.
When they got up to disperse from the last team meeting of that World Cup, Ishan had to pull Shubman up, because he was still gazing at Virat bhai.
"What's gotten into you?" asked Ishan.
"This final," said Shubman. "It means so much to him, doesn't it? I mean to all of them but especially Virat bhai and Rohit bhai."
"Yeah, I know," said Ishan. "I've never seen Rohit bhai agreeing for an early morning practice session without a fight or Virat bhai being unable to give a motivational speech."
"I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself if I don't win this for Virat bhai," said Shubman under his breath.
Ishan reached up to pat his head. "Rohit bhai said if we give our best, it doesn't matter we win or lose."
"Seriously? You believe him?"
"No."
"Then stop repeating what he said. See you tomorrow."
They had reached Shubman's room. The World Cup final had rewarded them all with single rooms, but Ishan was far from grateful for the change. He might have suggested they stay together the night, but Nisha was there in Shubman's room. She had suggested she should leave the day after the felicitation party, why Ishan had no idea about, but Shubman and the other players insisted she stay for the finals at the Motera.
Later, it turned out fate had its own thing planned.
Ishan woke up at his phone ringing loudly in the middle of the night. Rahul bhai had said they should not open their phones, but surely he could take a call?
It was Nisha.
"Ishan, I am really sorry to disturb you at this time, but Shubman keeps waking up from nightmares about losing the match tomorrow, and I can't get him to sleep. I'm scared he will stay awake the whole night and....and he has the most important match of his life tomorrow, he needs to sleep...."
"I'm coming over," said Ishan.
"No, no, no," said Nisha. "You need to sleep too, I mean you're also playing tomorrow, I just called to ask if you know of any way of getting him sleep when he gets these nightmares on loop? You've been roommates for years...."
"I know, that's why I'm saying I'm going there. You can come and stay in my room if you like."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What are you doing here, Ishu?" Shubman asked, sleepily, once the switch had been carried out.
"Nothing," said Ishan. "Go back to sleep, my love."
Shubman laughed into the pillow.
Ishan had barely drifted off when he sensed Shubman jerking up beside him, breathing rapidly.
"Shubi?"
"Okay, it's not real. We haven't played the final yet," Shubman mumbled in a chant. "We haven't played the final yet. We haven't played the final yet."
Ishan caught him firmly and made him lie down again, wiping the sweat from his brows.
"We haven't...played...."
"Shh, we haven't played it yet, and we need to stay calm before we do play it, okay, Shubi? Stop thinking about it. If you go to sleep obsessing about the final, you will keep waking up."
"I can't think of anything else!" said Shubman.
"Oh yes, you can," said Ishan. "Think of, um, Marvel. Think of your favourite scene....These hands were once used for battle...."
"Now they're but humble tools for peace...." mumbled Shubman.
"I need to figure out exactly who I am," whispered Ishan.
They hummed the Sweet Child o Mine in undertones. Ishan smoothened the creases on Shubman's forehead and raked his fingers through his hair.
"I want to choose my own path," said Shubman.
"Live in the moment," said Ishan.
"My superheroing days are over. But ours are just beginning," whispered Shubman.
"Shh," scolded Ishan. "Think Thor. Think Captain America."
Though Shubman did wake up from nightmares a couple of times more, Ishan fancied it was less than the number of times he would have if they had not mumbled their favourite lines of Marvel every time he jerked up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day, the day of the final seemed like a time stolen from someone else's lifetime.
Playing a cricket WC for India was not just surreal, it was unreal.
And winning a cricket WC for India?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was insane.
"Jadeja plays through the covers, the batsmen are running for the second, and...." Ravu Shastri jumped up in the commentary box. "OH, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS. THE BALL HAS GONE THROUGH EXTRA COVER'S FINGERS AND REACHES THE BOUNDARY. INDIA WIN THE WORLD CUP 2023 IN THE PENULTIMATE BALL OF THE TOURNAMENT, AND THE HEROES, JADEJA, AND LET'S NOT FORGET KISHAN, HAVE BEEN SWARMED...."