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Street cricket (Source: X)
The stage is getting ready for India's first-ever tennis ball cricket tournament. The player auction for the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), a tournament organised to bring the thrill of cricket from the streets to the stadium, is set to be held on Sunday, February 25. The tournament is scheduled to kick off on March 2 and conclude on March 9.
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ISPL will feature 19 matches in T10 format in Mumbai. Six teams owned by franchises representing Mumbai (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Kolkata (West Bengal) and Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) will participate in the tournament.
The initiative is aimed at providing the country's cricketing talents with an opportunity to showcase their talents. All the budding cricketers will start their career from tennis ball cricket and this opportunity will give them to play in a full-fledged stadium instead of playing in the streets. This will also address the limitations and financial challenges faced by many talented players.
ISPL is a transformative journey for aspiring players: Indian Cricket Board Treasurer
Speaking at the launch of the league in November 2023, Indian Cricket Board Treasurer Ashish Shelar, Core Committee Member of the ISPL said the tournament is a "transformative journey for aspiring players". He added that players will get coaching tips and advice from experienced Ranji Trophy players.
"ISPL is not just a tournament; it is a transformative journey for aspiring players. Participants will not only compete in a dynamic T10 format but will also receive invaluable coaching tips and advice from seasoned Ranji Trophy players. This mentorship opportunity aims to elevate the skills and understanding of the game among the players, creating a pathway for their future success in the world of cricket," Shelar had said.
Apart from captivating the hearts of the fans, the tournament is also set to attract attention from the country's cricketing luminaries and celebrities. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar is the Investor and Core Committee Member of the ISPL. Former India cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri is the Chief Mentor of the league.
Last month, the ISPL announced the results of the ‘Invitation to Bid’ for co-owners of six city teams. A record bid of Rs 1,165 crore was made for six teams, with Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar's Team Srinagar fetching the highest bid of Rs 251 crore from Sanjay Gupta and Rohan Gupta’s SG Sports Pvt. Ltd. Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Ram Charan, Suriya are the other film stars and business tycoons who are co-owners of the six teams.