(Part 8)

Hafiz tossed the ball back to him as the ground went silent. "Nile Dawood, It happened once. It should never happen again. Bear that in mind." he warned grave.

Nile ignoring him turned to Suleiman once more, "So, what is it? Do we have a deal?"

Suleiman exhaled, "Before we strike one, tell me what are you aiming for? From Karachi to Peshawar, do you think its fun?"

Nile's eyes squinting, a sharp, sly grin cased his faced, he whispered, "Fun? Not really. Assume your friends got taken away, your position snatched away and your trust broken, I don't think that's fun. As for what I am aiming for… I am after someone I just left behind. I left everything because of him, all because he ruined it all. So I want to see it… the difference between me and him and the difference between him and me of our future."

Suleiman hearing his words turned around walking towards the pitch. "Striking a deal or not depends on your performance. As for the PSL its right around the corner, get ready." he informed.

Nile smiled following behind, "Alright~" Instantly halting amid his steps he turned around to Zhangli, "Senior Zhangli, I tossed the ball towards you because I knew you would've stopped it. I didn't meant any harm." he winked.

Nonetheless, not assured in the slightest, Zhangli and Hafiz glanced at each other remaining silent.

"Zhangli…" Hafiz called, "Something tells me that we've found a fox for our team."

Zhangli wordless, stared at Nile's back.

______

Ezekiel coming in the ground beside Heber and Mikael, handed Xavier and Feng drinks. "Are you alright?" Ezekiel asked.

Feng nodded, "Don't worry it was just a graze."

"Your ear says otherwise." Mikael sprayed a pain relief spray.

"Hehe… don't fret it. It looks that way because of my complexion. I am really fine." Feng assured.

Xavier exhaled.

"Anyways…" Ezekiel grabbed Feng by his shoulder pulling him up.

"What?" Feng uttered confused.

Glancing at Nile, Ezekiel's green eyes glinted cunningly, he whispered. Stunned for a moment, Feng turned to him once he finished. "Are you…" he uttered however, Ezekiel grabbing the water bottles headed back, "The rest depends on you, Feng Mir Ozer. And make sure you treat me to something after we win. I woke up from my beauty sleep just to tell you this."

Mikael and Heber shrugged clueless.

"I wonder if it was a batsmen talk." Xavier wondered.

Feng smiled, returning on the batting crease, "Illusion hun…" he whispered immediately nodding at Xavier.

"Looks like I missed you in the last over. How did that felt, pretty good right? Remember this leniency won't be in the next over." Nile walked past him snickering, towards the shortfine leg. 

Feng glanced aside, confidence rather than fear (which Nile expected), evident on his face, he stated, "Hm, it felt thrilling but you'll miss me and my wicket a lot in the upcoming overs despite no leniency."

Nile ignoring his words frowned.

Taking a single and places swapped on Zhangli's first delivery. Xavier took the striker's end reading the outside boundary. "Hm… all my sweet spots are covered by the fielders. Doesn't that feels challenging?" he questioned himself tapping his bat on the ground.

Zhangli stepping on the popping crease delivered the second ball of 15th over whispering, "Blake Dire!" The delivery full, Xavier comprehended, "Opposite spin… or a wobble one…?"

Closing both his feet outside the crease he whispered, "Doesn't matter, 1st Counter: Breaking Whirlwind!" the ball's spin decreasing, he pulled his bat up with force straight as it went high for a six.

"And there it goes!! A beauty after the halt in Karachi's sixes, Xavier Ibn Zain strikes straight for the commentators room…" the commentators exclaimed. "Oh dear, it won't hit us or would it?" Jones inquired. 

Zhangli facing Xavier wondered, "He… decreased the ball's spin on his own accord?" 

Alan smiled.

"Finally, my eyes had rotted after seeing those one's and two's only." Nidou teased. Seles at a loss of words remained quiet.

"Just keep a grip on your words you old hag, they are trying their best." Gabriel uttered annoyed.

Adam agreed with a nod.

Musa hiding his laughter, looked away while Seraph and Helios smiled speechless.

"Anyways, it's good to see them going." Cassiel added.

Kenzo silent, perceived the voices of the crowd and the field. Another six struck on the 4th ball of the over towards deep extra cover, the crowd cheered.

Feng tapping his glove against Xavier's, beamed, "Awesome captain! You are ruling over spins today!"

"Haha, aren't you doing the same for pace? Just assume as if I am geared up because of you."

Feng chuckled pleased.

"Let's give our best together." Xavier told.

"Hm." Feng agreed.

Death overs commencing, the 16th over was once again handed to Nile. Karachi's run now 129 at the loss of 3 wickets. Xavier took the batting crease looking ahead. Feng too stood attentive on the non-strikers end. The first delivery of the over an off cutter, Xavier stepping forward; once again swung the bat high with force towards the deep midwicket. Standing straight he wiped his sweat puffing, tracing the ball going outside the fences, he smiled, "Another one successful."

"Wohoo!!" Adam cheered, clapping his hands against Ryan's who too looked relatively happy.

"He's on fire." Noah complemented.

"But, Xavier… isn't pushing himself too hard or is he?" Poseidon inquired concerned.

Helios shook his head clueless.

"Whether he is or isn't hard on himself, doesn't matter. It's just that he has everyone's attention on himself which might not be too advantageous for him." Mir told.

"Exactly, at this point Xavier is going against everyone on the field." Alan agreed.

Delivering further three more deliveries and acquiring a single, Feng took the striker's end.

Nile smirked. Delivering the fourth delivery he whispered, "Arachnid Trap… Form 1!" The delivery slower than his usual fast Yorkers and bouncer deliveries. Feng blinked, "A chance!" he thought stepping forward.

Trying to hit the ball towards cover point. The ball with the bat's impact rather than being hit forward, spun downwards abruptly, evading the entire delivery towards the wicket. "Oh drat! Clad shield defense!" he thought looking around and stepping his feet inside the batting crease. 

The wicket stumps instantly enveloping itself in a silver glint pushed the ball away, directing it's trajectory a little sideways to the wicketkeeper behind. A cold sweat dripped down Feng's cheek.

"Oh~?" Nile chanted, his fingers hiding his sly grin. A sudden weird sensation began to entrap Feng as he fidgeted right and left.

"OH!!" the crowd and commentators went. "A close safe!" Maaz uttered bewildered.

"That delivery couldn't be played, right?" Orion asked surprised.

"Indeed, Nile put a backward spin in the ball." Nagi replied.

"But, the ball landed on the pitch first, right? Why didn't it spun backwards then? Why only on the bat?" Azazel asked confused.

"It's because of his grip." Zachariah spoke, his gaze fixed on the pitch he continued, "He bowled the delivery with the seam on the ground. Once it touched the ground it started to wobble causing the batsman to be confused. But then again meeting precision, he made sure once the batsman hits the ball, it would be the ball's shiny side. The shiny side causes the ball to slide from the bat into the wickets making it look like a hit wicket bowl. However, accuracy is very essential to avail this, not many can do it."

The middleschoolers narrowed their gazes alerted. Cassiel writing in his journal whispered, "I see…"

"So, you mean if Feng didn't have Clad Shield Defense he would've lost his wicket." Kenzo asked.

"Precisely. For, even if Feng would have reacted before getting his wicket hit. He couldn't stop the ball with his bat again. It would've been double hit wicket one way or another." Kazuna replied.

"Haiz~ that means if it were us at his place and any wrong move we wouldn't have been able to do what Feng did. We'd head straight to the pavilion." Ezekiel shuddered just by the thought.

"I doubt so." Alan confidently said, "I bet you would have used your ways to prevent him from taking your wicket."

Another delivery bowled the same way Feng clicked his tongue annoyed. "Every time it hits the shiny side…! It had been a while since I last played against his deliveries, no wonder I didn't recall them. I only remember that…" he thought, instantly shaking his head, "Forget it."

Tapping his bat, he looked up for the last delivery of the over. Delivering the ball, once again the same delivery. Feng studied it attentively. "The rough side… rough side…" he tried to find the sweet spot."Aha." he grinned, slamming the ball towards the mid-off, immediately taking a run. 

Nile traced the ball.

Xavier observing the field and Nile's expression on the non-strikers end gasped, "No! Feng don't run!" he cautioned. For, behind the mid-off fielder, Omar had caught the ball throwing it back to the wicket keeper.

"Tch! He was there?!" Feng uttered as he tried to go back however was confused.

Xavier tracing his mix-up instantly ran from the non-strikers end. "Complete it, Feng! Your run, go!" he went past him.

Realization which hit him a little too late, Feng without further await hurried back towards the non-strikers end as the ball resting in the wicket keeper's hands had struck the striker's wicket before Xavier could complete the lap.

Nile's glare mischievous yet full of joy, he glanced at Feng who gritted in turn.

"OUT!! OUT!!" Ishaq went clapping his hands as the crowd rose in cheer.