On a rain-hit final day, when most narratives were drowning in doubt, Akash Deep crafted one that soared far beyond the cricket field, into the heart of his family, where battles of a different kind were being fought.

Akash’s journey to this moment has been anything but smooth. Faced with his father’s disapproval of his cricketing dreams, he had to navigate grief and responsibility early. After losing both his father and elder brother, Akash became the family's quiet backbone. He played tennis-ball cricket to bring in money, endured a near career-ending back injury, and still showed up each day -- with the ball, with belief.

And when Mohammed Siraj nudged him during the match, “I even told Akash to take out the remaining four wickets”, it wasn’t just playful encouragement. It was a vote of confidence from a teammate who had walked similar paths of pain and persistence.