"Slow… but flummoxing?" Azazel repeated running towards the popping crease soon whispering, "Grave Knuckle!" the ball aimed straight into the stumps, Iosif on the batting crease smirked, "Again? You don't learn, do you, first year?" Raising his bat within the crease, he bashed the ball over covers, up and huge as the crowd roared.
"ANOTHER SIX! Iosif Yaroslav delivers another punishing blow to the kings!" exclaimed the enthusiastic commentators.
Azazel in disbelief stared wide-eyed, soon turning to Iosif who grinned conceitedly. "Slow but flummoxing…" he however, mumbled immediately rushing back. His eyes glinting as if he had just grabbed it… a light!
"Big heavens… my eyes. I am no mood to see sixes showering." Adam hid them as Poseidon bit his nail anxious.
"He sure love that brat's deliveries." Musa chuckled instead, "Haiz… what a morale buster."
Nidou yawned closing his eyes indifferent.
"The ball, Feng. Hand me the ball, hurry up." Azazel waved impatiently. Feng glancing at Xavier and the two smiling. He tossed it back, "Alright, here you go!"
The second delivery of the over, Azazel delivered an off break as Iosif stuck it towards the cover. Safely caught by Feng, Siraj took the batting crease. Azazel grabbing the ball from Feng headed back. A single conceded in the last two deliveries. Iosif took the batting crease looking around the ground.
"Oh, here comes the danger man facing Azazel yet again…" Maaz commented.
Azazel tossing the ball up and down observed the fielders, soon rushing towards the pitch. His thumb on the seam and two fingers supporting the ball on the side. "Slow but flummoxing… slow but flummoxing…" he continued to think.
The moment he stepped on the popping crease he murmured, "Five Seam Mirage…" Iosif smirked.
The ball landing on the pitch with a slow tap instantly wobbled diverging into five mirages at the same time. Increased speed and all mirages pointing towards different sides of the wicket. The smirk on Iosif's face instantly burned into a flat line, "Huh?"
Trying to hit the ball in the middle. The real delivery travelled amid the bat and the pads towards the leg stumps immediately hitting the wickets as the bails fell off.
"OUT!! OUT!!" Azazel exclaimed and so did Elias. So did the crowd and at last the umpire who raised his middle finger up indicating Karachi Kings very first wicket under pressure.
"BOWLED HIM! Iosif Yaroslav missing the entire delivery and Azazel Minhas giving a big breakthrough to Karachi Kings! Just Magnificent! A slower delivery but higher pace, was Iosif trying to aim for a six again because this will cause an immense blow to Peshawar…" the commentary went.
A frown resting on Iosif's face he clenched his bat heading back.
"Wohoo~ took quite a bit of a down turn there, I suppose." Hafiz whistled immediately prompting glares from Raza and the rest. "Haha, my bad." he looked ahead awkwardly.
"Haha! Awesome!" Adam cheered while Poseidon exhaled relived as Heber embraced him happily.
Alan ruffled Will's hairs proud.
"Hell Yeah! Just teach those bastards a lesson they will never forget!" Orion shouted crazily.
"Language… mind your language, Orion Allaudin." Noah hid his face in embarrassment while Lou Wang masked a speechless chuckle.
"Well done!" Kenzo ruffled Azazel's hairs who laughed ecstatic.
"You got it didn't you?" Senri winked.
Azazel nodded, "Hm!"
"What did you get?" Cassiel inquired curious.
"Iosif aimed for sixes on deliveries I aimed on the stump line, slow or fast didn't matter as long they didn't spin too much and were straight. So, when I used a seam mirage he was confused because the mirages were not all aimed on the stump line." Azazel explained, "Took me too long to understand, hehe."
"But you took his wicket in the end didn't you, be proud of yourself." Xavier ruffled his hairs, beaming.
"Iosif departing at 26/12. Humayun Arif enters the ground as the 3rd batsman from Peshawar's batting order." the commenters introduced.
The fourth over concluding after a dot delivery, Senri whistled towards the third man taking Ren's attention. Ren making way towards him inquired, "Yup?"
"Your over." Senri told, his expression serious, "And make sure not to give any boundaries or sixes."
Ren studying his expression smiled, "Okay~" "Smile Senri. Don't frown." he added at the end, ruffling his hairs instead.
Senri exhaled showing a light beam.
The fifth over in Ren's hand, he set the field up to his choice. "A highschooler is bowling… make sure to keep your eyes open." Cassiel advised.
"Yeah, it's a chance to see them play. The first highschooler to stand on the ground ever since we got selected in the squad." Xavier replied.
Kenzo too observed Ren, beside Gabriel and Seraph. Ren on the other hand chuckled awkwardly; revealing a sweat, "Haha… I feel like I'm being eaten from everywhere."
The umpire handing him the ball. Ren stepped a few steps back from the crease.
Siraj on the batting line, remained focused pondering, "A highschooler leg-spinner, Ren Maaz also known as 'Emperor of climaxes' I better remain on my guard…"
Ren stepping on the popping crease, hid the ball immediately flicking it on the pitch. His stance peculiar and ending in a split second. The ball swiftly spun from the off side to the leg side aiming for Siraj's pads as he stopped it with his bat in the nick of time. "Oh~" Ren went back, not surprised. The middleschoolers looked at each other.
"His stance…?" Helios gasped.
"The quickest spin bowling stance from all highschooler bowlers. Ren Maaz has it. Unidentified spin rotation and swift stance, he is able to grab the game with these small changes in the match." Seles explained.
"Wow…" Heber admired while Ryan furrowed his gaze solemn.
Musa glancing at him smiled. "His bowling feels similar to yours, right?" Isa asked Musa.
"A little bit. Has he been practicing while watching my videos or something?" Musa guessed.
"Bingo!" Haruf exclaimed delighted. "He regards you quite a lot. Musa Ty Alexandro. Leg spinning like the Phoenix Musa. King of phoenix drive, Musa. These words have been on his tongue since the day we met him." he added.
Alan observed Musa who smiled. Who knows if he was pleased or not? He just stared at Ren silently.
Ryan wearing a frown clenched his fists looking ahead.
A single conceeded after three straight dots. Ren delivered the fifth ball of the over. Humayun striking the ball straight, which Ren failed to stop took two runs as Kenzo grabbed the ball throwing it back to him from the mid off. Only three runs accumulated in Ren's over the final over of the powerplay remained.
"Ren Maaz has took the conditions into control as expected; now off we go again to Azazel Minhas. This twelve year old rookie; just debuting and taking the first wicket of the match. Do you believe he can take another one Wasim?" Jones asked.
"Of course, why not? A youth full of energy, enthusiasm and under the limelight in the first place. His form is on its peak and he is aware of the changes around him so, why not? He should take another one and maybe another one after that as well." Wasim replied confident.
Pushing his hairs back, a proud smile rested Azazel's face as he stepped on the popping crease, beginning the last over of the powerplay.
Siraj on the batting crease playing a shot towards the mid-off took a run. Gabriel rubbing the ball on his sleeves passed it back to him.
"Come on, come on." Elias clapped taking their attention.
The fielders positioned, Azazel delivered a slow knuckle delivery next. Humayun taking a chance stepped forward and smashed the ball high in between the long on and cow corner for a six.
"WOHOO!!" Peshawar's crowd once more arose in cheers. Azazel clicked his tongue glaring at Humayun. Humayun's earring dangling, he breathed slowly and controlled.
"A left hander who plays against spins. No wonder he is aiming high on slow deliveries." Xavier thought standing straight.
Azazel delivering the second ball of the over whispered, "5 Seam Mirage." The ball on the pitch's impact diverged into 5 illusions, immediately increasing in speed.
Humayun stepped back startled. "I see…" he whispered. His surroundings suddenly radiating a translucent aura, Azazel tried to look through, however couldn't. Up to his surprise the ball thrown had come right back to his feet halting with a tap.
"He returned it…?" Kenzo wondered uneasy.
Humayun looking up smiled, his voice gentle yet carrying a troubling touch he apologized, "Sorry, for being serious so late. Now, I will play with all I've got."
"What?" Azazel narrowed his gaze puzzled.