**Day 18 – The Grand Finale**
**Venue: BCCI Excellence Arena – Packed, Televised, Reverberating**
All eyes are here.
Legends in the stands.
Cameras blinking.
One match to decide India's Next-Gen Core.
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### 🎙️ Pre-Match Build-up
The commentators are fired up.
> "Titans – calm, clinical, calculated. Vanguard – gritty, grounded, growing."
Ravi Shastri speaks:
> "Look at Aryan. His face hasn't changed since Day 1. Ice in veins."
> "And Sai? He's the captain no one expected… but everyone now respects."
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### 🧩 The Playing XIs
**Team Titans**
- Aryan Raj (Opener)
- Omkar Shinde (Vice Captain, Spinner)
- Iqbal Nawaz (WK)
- Tarun Kapoor (All-rounder)
- Rishi Luthra (Left-arm pacer)
**Team Vanguard**
- Rehan Malik (Captain)
- Sai Menon (Middle order)
- Krunal Joshi (Finisher)
- Zeeshan Waris (Spinner)
- Amit Rawat (WK)
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### 🎲 The Toss – Titans Win, Choose to Bat
> Aryan: "Pressure is the best teacher. Let's face it first."
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### 🏏 Titans' Batting Innings
**Over 1-4:**
Aryan starts watchfully. Iqbal takes early charge.
Sai sets a tricky field — deep third, leg trap.
- Iqbal OUT – trapped lbw by Zeeshan.
- Aryan still… unreadable.
**Over 5-10:**
Omkar joins. Drives smoothly, rotates strike.
Aryan opens up: flicks, drives, no flair — just perfection.
> Commentator: "He's not entertaining. He's educating."
**Over 11-15:**
Tarun blasts 3 fours in one over. Vanguard drops a catch.
Rehan frustrated.
**Final 5 Overs:**
Aryan finishes on 61*(48).
Titans: **148/4 in 20 overs**
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### 🛡️ Vanguard's Chase
**Over 1-3:**
Rehan opens bold. Hits Rishi for a cover six.
Amit supports but mistimes — OUT.
**Over 4-8:**
Omkar comes in. Bowls a maiden over. Spins web.
> Dhoni whispers: "That boy's mind is two overs ahead."
**Over 9-14:**
Sai arrives. Stabilizes. Krunal joins with intent.
Match tilts.
Score: 98/3 in 14 overs
**Over 15-18:**
Tarun bowls cutters. Rehan tries a reverse — CAUGHT.
Sai looks up. Calm. Faces Aryan's bowling now — YES, ARYAN IS BOWLING.
> Aryan bowls off-cutters. First ball… Sai swings — EDGE… MISSES.
Nail-biting.
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### Final Over – 12 Needed
Omkar to bowl.
Sai on strike.
- Ball 1: Single.
- Ball 2: Dot.
- Ball 3: FOUR – reverse sweep.
- Ball 4: Single.
- Ball 5: Zeeshan tries a slog… MISSES.
**Last Ball – 5 Needed**
Omkar flights it.
Zeeshan steps out — STUMPED!
**Titans win by 4 runs.**
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### 🎉 Titans Celebrate – The Dome Erupts
Aryan raises his bat.
Omkar remains quiet, but the corner of his mouth lifts slightly.
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### 📣 Post-Match Ceremony
**Man of the Match:** Aryan Raj
**Best Bowler:** Omkar Shinde
**Rising Finisher:** Krunal Joshi
**Top 5 Final Rankings:**
1. Aryan Raj
2. Omkar Shinde
3. Sai Menon
4. Rehan Malik
5. Krunal Joshi
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### 🔮 Epilogue – BCCI Announcement
> "Congratulations. You five… are shortlisted for India Next-Gen Core Squad.
This is not a reward. This is the beginning."
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### 🌌 Final Scene – Stadium Tunnel
Aryan walks back alone, gripping his bat.
> "One battle ends. The war begins now."
**Next: Chapter 36 – India Camp: Legends, Media & The Storm Ahead**