It was not an ordinary Sunday morning. In fact, it was the day of the Pakistan-India World Cup match. A cricket match between these two teams always felt like a final, even if it wasn’t. Today was no different. The air buzzed with excitement, anticipation and, of course, everlasting hope.

In many households that day, normal conversations sto­pped. Instead, everyone talked about the weather in Colombo, how much it might help the players, the team line-ups and past performances.

It was the same at Ahad’s house. Ahad’s father put down his teacup with a clink and said thoughtfully, “If we win the toss, we should bowl first. Big matches are all about handling pressure.”

“Also, chasing a target has always been difficult for us,” Ahad’s sister added.

“You shouldn’t speak. You don’t even watch cricket,” Ahad said, feeling a bit annoyed by her comment.

“Everyone watches a Pakistan-India match. I just don’t have high expectations,” she shrugged.

After that, everyone left the breakfast table to finish their work for the day before gathering in the TV lounge in the evening.

By the time the toss took place, Ahad and his family were all seated in front of the TV. Ahad held his breath as the coin rose in the air. When Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first, Ahad’s father nodded in satisfaction.

“Good decision,” he said confidently. With that, hope rose in everyone.

India’s openers walked in and the innings began with a thrill for Pakistan. Abhishek Sharma was out for a duck in the very first over. The entire living room erupted in disbelief and excitement. It felt like the perfect start, the kind you pray for before such a big match. Ahad could feel his heart pounding as he clenched his fists, hardly able to sit still.

But the excitement didn’t last long. Ishan Kishan stepped in and completely shifted the mood of the game. He played with confidence and control, timing the ball beautifully. His shots were smooth and effortless, and every time he hit the ball over the fielders, it felt like the match was slipping away. Watching him score 77 runs off just 40 balls was frustrating; each boundary made the crowd on the screen cheer while the TV lounge slowly fell quiet.

India kept the score moving and ended with 175 runs. Ahad could feel his hope starting to fade.

When Pakistan came out to bat, it never really felt like they had the momentum they needed. The top players kept losing their wickets at the wrong moments. Every time someone tried to build a good partnership, it fell apart too soon. Everyone shouted suggestions at the TV as if the players could hear them. But wickets kept falling, and soon Pakistan were all out for just 114 runs. India had won by 61 runs.

Feeling disappointed, everyone went to their own rooms, not knowing what to say. As Ahad lay in his bed scrolling through messages and funny memes, he knew they would wake up tomorrow and argue about what went wrong. They would wish that next time would be different. And when Pakistan faces India again, everyone will be right back in front of the television, hearts racing and voices ready to cheer.

This is because hope, like the love for cricket, never really fades.

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 7th, 2026

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