Five
You. Must. Come. Now.' The kid sucked in air after every word. 'Ali. Is...' 'Relax
Paras,' lsh told the panting boy. He had come running from the Belrampur
Municipal School and was insisting we go with him.
'Now? It is only four, how can I close business?' I said.
'He doesn't play cricket that often. He always plays marbles. I'lease come today,
lsh bhaiya.'
'Let's go. It is a slow day anyway,' lsh said as he slipped on his chappals.
Omi had already stepped out. I locked the cashbox and told the owner of the
flower shop next to ours to keep watch.
We reached our school's familiar grounds. Twenty boys circled Ali.
'I don't want to play now,' a voice said from the centre of the crowd.
A thin, almost malnourished boy sat on the ground, his face covered with his
hands.
The crowd backed off. Some kids volunteered to be fielders. Omi became the
wicket keeper. I stood near the bowler's end, at the umpire's slot. Ali took the
crease. He strained hard to look at the bowler. The crowd clapped as Ish took a
short run-up. I couldn't understand the fuss in seeing this delicate, doe-eyed boy
play. The bat reached almost two-thirds his height.
Ish's run-up was fake, as he stopped near me. A grown man bowling pace to a
twelve-year-old is silly. Ish looked at the boy and bowled a simple lollipop
delivery.
The slow ball pitched midway and took its time to reach the crease. Thwack, Ali
moved his bat in a smooth movement and connected. The ball surged high as Ish
and I looked at it for its three seconds of flight - six!
Ish looked at Ali and nodded in appreciation. Ali took a stance again and
scrunched his face, partially due to the sun but also in irritation for not receiving
a real delivery.
For the next ball, Ish took an eight step run-up. The boy could play, girlie
features be damned! The medium pace ball rose high on the bounce and smash!
Another six.
Ish gave a half smile. Ali's bat had not hit the ball, but his pride. The crowd
clapped.
Ish took an eleven-step run-up for the next ball. He grunted when the ball left
his hand. The ball bounced to Ali's shoulder. Ali spun on one leg as if in a dance
and connected - six!
Three balls, three sixes - Ish looked molested. Omi's mouth was open but he
focused on wicket-keeping. I think he was trying to control his reaction for Ish's
sake.
'He is a freak. Ali the freak, Ali the freak,' a kid fielding at mid-on shouted and
distracted Ali.
'Just play,' Ish said to Ali and gave the fielder a glare.
Ish rubbed the ball on his pants thrice. He changed his grip and did some
upper body twists. He took his longest run-up yet and ran forward with full force.
The ball went fast, but was a full toss. Ish's frustration showed in this delivery. It
deserved punishment. Ali took two steps forward and smash! The ball went high
and reached past the ground, almost hitting a classroom window.