The inaugural season of the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) concluded with Tiigers of Kolkata claiming the first-ever title of the competition on March 15 at the Dadoji Kondev Stadium in Thane.
A few days after the conclusion of the competition, ISPL announced the expansion of the tournament to the Middle East in November 2024. With a plethora of cricket fanatics in the Middle East, teams from Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait, Muscat, and Bahrain will be featured in the new edition. With backing from corporate giants from various regions, the tennis ball cricketers are set to receive opportunities to perform in front of thousands and make a name for themselves.
Commenting on ISPL’s expansion, Aksha Kamboj, Owner of Tiigers of Kolkata, said, “From the moment I heard about the concept of ISPL, I was sold. I think that it is a wonderful opportunity for street-level cricket players to come forward and show their talent. Taking the ISPL to a global level would be a dream come true for many, and a well-deserved dream in my opinion, because throughout the tournament we have had some great cricketing moments come from some very talented individuals, so why not open it up to the rest of the world?“
Apart from providing exposure to cricketers, the ISPL did well on the commercial front as all teams combined spent INR 4.91 crore in the auction and gathered lucrative sponsorship pacts. The first edition of ISPL paved a path for future seasons, mirroring the heights it could reach.
Commenting on where ISPL could reach in the forthcoming season, Neeti Agarwal of Path India Ltd., Co-Owner, Majhi Mumbai, said, “ISPL will definitely be a success and there seems to be no competition for the league because it’s a different tournament altogether. There isn’t any comparison between the IPL and the World Cup because each competition has set its own benchmark.“