For the next 5 balls, Warne was reduced to a spectator, as Daunt couldn’t connect with even a single one of Inaya’s perfectly delivered, late-swinging yorkers.

There was just 1 ball to go. Inaya took a deep breath and took her run up. As the ball left her hand, she watched Daunt’s bat connect with the ball, lifting it up and over her head. Inaya watched the ball’s trajectory as it flew into the stands for 6 runs.

The DownUnder Daredevils had won. The stadium erupted in applause.

Inaya looked at the ground, crushed. She hadn’t been able to save the match for her team. All their faith in her had been misplaced. Lubna came running up to her.

‘Hey, that was some amazing bowling, Inaya!’ she said, hugging her.

Shaheen joined them and patted Inaya on the back, ‘Well played, Inaya!’

‘Sorry, it wasn’t good enough,’ muttered Inaya, blinking back her tears.

Jai was disappointed for Inaya. But the silver lining was that the game was over—and he could now meet Nabeel Said. Hopefully.

His ears perked up when he heard the words ‘Inaya Haider; she’s from Pakistan’ from behind him. He angled himself to listen.

Sitting right behind Jai watching the game was the coach for the women’s cricket team for Middlesex and Simone Donnelly, the captain of the Chippy Champs side. The voice, which turned out to be Simone’s continued, ‘She’s got a spark. She’s wicked with the bat as well. I’ve played with her before.’

‘Hmm . . . I’d like to meet her,’ said the coach.

Twenty minutes had passed and there was still no sign of Inaya emerging from the dressing room. Jai assumed that she must be busy with her teammates and started collecting his things to leave. He needed to finish packing as there was a flight to be caught the next day.

‘Hey Jai!’ called an unfamiliar voice.

Jai turned around to see Nabeel Said standing with her arm around Inaya. He could barely believe his eyes.

‘I hear that you’re a gourmet,’ said Nabeel. ‘Are you free to come on a quick tour of my kitchens this afternoon? I’d love to get a pair of fresh eyes give me ideas about what I could be doing better.’

The DownUnder Daredevils may have won the match, but it was Jai who felt like he had just been handed the trophy.

He nodded, too overcome for words.

Filter Coffee

Heathrow Airport was busier than usual, which was a good thing because it was the perfect setting for Jai and Inaya’s plan.

Since Toshi and Habib had yet to tell the rest of the family about them being siblings, Jai and Inaya had suggested that the best place to break the news would be in a public place, so that any reactions would be muted. Or at least, so they hoped.

After much deliberation, Heathrow Airport was the venue decided upon. The ‘announcement’ was to be made just before their respective flights took off. This would allow for an eight-hour long journey to allow Rajan, Arathi, Humaira and Irfan to come to terms with the revelation. The Puris were leaving London two days before the Haiders were, so Toshi and Jai had to do their bit first.