Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Monday announced his association with the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) as the owner of Team Mumbai.
The ISPL is India's first tennis ball T10 cricket tournament that will be played inside a stadium. The inaugural edition is scheduled to be held from March 2 to March 9 in Mumbai.
The tournament will feature 19 high-intensity matches, boasting a line-up of six teams – Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and Srinagar.
Bachchan said being part of the league marks a new beginning for him.
"A new day .. and a new enterprise .. For me an honour and a privilege to be with Mumbai as Team Owner, and to be privy to the surge of talent erupt , for a grand visionary future .." the 81-year-old actor wrote on his personal blog.
He described the ISPL as an exciting and a noble concept.
"An opportunity for them that exhibited their capacity on the streets, gullies and make shift home made pitches to play cricket , now to get selected for a team professionally and exhibit their talent in formal setups before the millions the world over !" he further said in his post.
Recently, actors Akshay Kumar and Hrithik Roshan were announced as the team owners of Srinagar and Bengaluru, respectively.
Introducing Indian Street Premier League
The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) is set to transform the landscape of street cricket, offering a unique platform for budding cricketers across six major cities in India. The inaugural season kicks off on March 2, 2024, and concludes on March 9, featuring a thrilling lineup of 19 matches hosted in Mumbai's premier stadiums.
City-Franchise Dynamics
ISPL boasts six teams, each meticulously owned by a franchise hailing from prominent cities – Mumbai (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Kolkata (West Bengal), and Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir).
Registration and Auction Process Unveiled
Prospective players keen on participating in the ISPL can register at ispl-t10.com, securing a coveted "golden ticket" for the city trials. Successful candidates will then progress to the final evaluation in Mumbai, earning them the exclusive "green ticket."
Registered players are required to showcase their cricket prowess through submitted videos. The most impressive talents, identified through these visual demonstrations, will be invited to Mumbai for further evaluation. It's worth noting that participation in the tournament is open to cricket enthusiasts of all age groups.
Auctioning Cricket Talents
Before the tournament commences, a riveting auction awaits the players, establishing a base price of Rs 3 lakh and a cap at Rs 50 lakh. The auction, scheduled for the last week of January, will see approximately 350 players from the six cities selected based on the videos they uploaded, showcasing their skills in the realm of tennis ball cricket.
ISPL emerges as not just a cricket league but a revolutionary platform amplifying the reach of street cricket and providing a dynamic stage for emerging talents to shine.
