For us, cricket has never been just a game.
It has always been emotion, energy, bonding, celebration and a beautiful excuse to spend time together.
My husband, Shantanu, is an absolute cricket fanatic, and honestly, one of the biggest reasons we were attracted towards joining JCI Ujjain was the concept of Couple Cricket Matches. The idea itself felt so unique and heartwarming. A sport where husbands and wives play together, cheer for each other, strategise together and create memories together. What could be better than that?
We strongly believe that the bonds formed while playing sports are among the strongest bonds in life. And every single time we play with a team, this belief becomes stronger.
Technically, the tournament may last only three days. But in reality, JPL begins much before the first toss. For us, the journey started almost two weeks ago with practice sessions, late-evening meetups, team discussions, laughter, cheering, planning, and endless cricket conversations.
And somewhere between those practice matches and team selfies, strangers slowly became family.
Our practice sessions at RK Bansal School Ground became the best part of our daily routine. Despite the scorching summer heat during the day, the evenings there were surprisingly pleasant. After spending hours stuck in work schedules and daily chaos, those nights on the ground felt like a refreshing escape, not only for us but for our kids, too.
We took our children along with us, and that turned out to be one of the most beautiful parts of this entire journey. They made new friends, played cricket together, laughed together and spent quality outdoor time away from screens. Watching them enjoy those carefree evenings while we practised on the field gave these moments even more meaning.
Yesterday was our first match.
Yes, we lost.
But what a match it was!
A complete nail-biter till the very last ball.
Shantanu played brilliantly and smashed three consecutive sixes, filling the ground with excitement and energy. On the very last ball, he once again went for a massive six, but unfortunately got caught out while attempting the shot. We lost the match by just 2 runs.
And strangely, despite the loss, our spirits remained high.
I am personally happy that I could contribute to the game too. I bowled a good over, took a wicket and even grabbed a catch that helped us dismiss an important player.
But the best part of JPL is this:
Winning feels amazing, but the togetherness feels even bigger!
Today, we have another opportunity. Another match. Another chance to give our 100%.
We will change our strategies. We will improve our gameplay. And yes, we absolutely believe we are going to win today.
But no matter what the result says, one thing is certain:
We are going to enjoy every second of it.
Because JPL is not just about scoreboards.
It is about the laughter after missed catches.
The cheers after boundaries.
The team huddles.
The practice sessions.
The late-night discussions.
The support from fellow members.
And the feeling that an entire group is standing behind you.
Some of the other teams even practised alongside us, and over the days we shared so many fun conversations and memorable moments together. Many JCI members appreciated both Shantanu and me for our performance, even after the loss. That love, encouragement and positivity gave us even more confidence for today’s game.
And honestly, our team’s belief in Shantanu feels truly special.
We all know he is going to shine today.
A huge appreciation goes to our incredible team owners, Annu Porwal Bhaiya and Rani Bhabhi, who have put their heart and soul into keeping the team united and motivated. From arranging practice sessions to coordinating players, encouraging everyone and maintaining the team spirit, they have handled everything beautifully.
Special mention to their wonderful kids too: Archie, our creative genius and tech expert, who has taken responsibility for creating amazing reels, banners and digital content in such innovative ways.
And Anuj, our silent strategist, who constantly helps with fielding support, observations, guidance and pointing out both mistakes and strengths with great maturity.
A heartfelt thank you to our entire Blue Stars family:
Annu Bhaiya and Rani Bhabhi
Ajay Bhaiya & Ranu Bhabhi
Prashant Bhaiya & Manju Bhabhi
Ankit Bhaiya & Kratika, and my cutest little friend Adhishree
Sharad Bhaiya & Priyanka Bhabhi
Vikas Bhaiya & our shining star, Ishika
Thank you all for the love, support, respect and beautiful memories.
You all are not just teammates anymore.
You are family.
And finally, hats off to all the JCI board members and every team owner for organising such a grand event so smoothly. Managing 12 teams, 8 couples in each team, practice sessions, food, scheduling, coordination, and arrangements at this scale is truly commendable.
We genuinely feel lucky to be a part of the JCI family and especially proud to represent our team, Blue Stars.
And now, as we head towards today’s match, our energy is sky high because:
“Pacchis pacchis pacchaas,
Blue Stars Jhakaas!”
Har Har Mahadev! 💙🏏
