Chasing 100, Srinagar made a spectacular recovery after a sluggish start, that saw their star opener Sagar Ali restricting himself uncharacteristically before a whirlwind innings from Lokesh Chauhan eventually turned the tide in their favour, with four balls to spare.

Opening the innings, Sagar finally made up for the lost opportunities by opening up with a six on the 13th delivery he faced, and eventually set the tempo of the chase with a 21-ball 28, laced with three sixes, before a disciplined Ashiq Ali Shamsu picked two wickets from his first over to put Srinagar in a spot of bother.

However, Shamsu’s next over emerged the turning point of the encounter, with the bowler leaking 22 runs, that helped Srinagar cut the deficit from 33 off 13 deliveries to 17 off 12. Rajesh Sorte (12 off 4 balls) took full advantage of Shamsu’s weakness to deposit him out of the park, before Lokesh treated Farman Khan with disdain for two successive sixes to seal the deal in Srinagar’s favour.

Earlier, KVN Bangalore Strikers rode a collective batting effort from Saroj Paramanik, Sanjay Kanojjiya and skipper Prathamesh Pawar to pile up a commanding 99 for 7 after being invited to bat. The evening witnessed an exquisite display of shot-making with 78 runs out of the eventual total coming in the form of fours and sixes that enthralled the crowd at the Dadoji Kondadev Stadium.

Despite losing his partner Ajaz Shaikhlal Bepari (8) cheaply, fellow opener Saroj Paramanik didn’t let the momentum slip as he lit up the stadium with four massive sixes, en-route his 15-ball 30, and more importantly set the tone for Bangalore’s total in the company of his captain Prathamesh Pawar, who also chipped in with a crucial 12-ball 16, powered by a couple of sixes.

Srinagar did manage to peg back the Bangalore side with a couple of wickets, but Sanjay Kanojjiya’s arrival once again turned the tide, as he unleashed his batting potential with a 15-ball undefeated 29. Sanjay took special liking for Sahil Longale’s Tape Ball over, milking the bowler ruthlessly for 19 runs on the penultimate over of the innings. Bhushan Gole also came up with a handy 11 to propel Bangalore to a sizeable total.

For the Srinagar team, Suvronil Roy, Prajyot Ambhire, Prajyot Ambhire and Raju Mukhiya found their names against the wicket-takers’ list.

Earlier, Nakash Aziz set the stage on fire with his electrifying performance, keeping the crowd on their feet with his high-energy hits.

In the second qualifier on Friday, Srinagar Ke Veer will lock horns with Falcon Risers Hyderabad with both sides hoping to set their date with Majhi Mumbai in the ISPL, season 2 summit clash on Saturday.

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Chasing 71 for a direct entry to Saturday’s summit clash, Majhi Mumbai recovered from the early dismissals of Rajat Mundhe and Mohammed Nadeem with Yogesh Penkar and Mahendra Chandan rebuilding the ship with calculative risks. During the process, Mahendra took the attack back to the opposition with some audacious shot-making, that saw the youngster smoking two sixes and a four for his 9-ball 19. Yogesh, at the other end, was happy to rotate the strike with an unbeaten 16-ball 17 even as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.

With Mumbai needing in excess of 24 from the last three overs, the stage was set for star all-rounder Abhishek Kumar Dalhor to showcase his prowess in the 50-50 challenge over, and he responded with a massive six to almost get the job done before Amit Naik got the winning runs with a stylish boundary as Mumbai overhauled the target with 11 deliveries to spare.

For Hyderabad, Vishwajit Thakur was the pick of the bowlers, returning 2/22 while Mansoor KL, Parveen Kumar and Irfan Umair bagged a wicket apiece.

Earlier, Aakash Jangid’s 17-ball 23 was the only saving grace for the Falcon Risers Hyderabad that saw their batting crumble under pressure in the crucial contest. Put in to bat, Hyderabad lost their star opener Kisan Satpute in the first over of their innings before losing two more wickets of Padmesh Mhatre and Vishwajit Thakur in the second over from Ankur Singh.

Reduced to 9/3, Aakash and Prabjyot Singh (5) raised Hyderabad’s hopes with a 20-run partnership before Abhishek Kumar Dalhor and Vijay Pawle combined to pick five wickets between them, that triggered a collapse helping Mumbai bundle Hyderabad out for 70 in 9.4 overs.

The Majhi Mumbai bowlers were on the money right from the onset, with the new ball pair of Rajendra Singh and Ankur picking two wickets apiece before Abhishek (3/13) and Vijay (2/14) joined the party to restrict the Hyderabad batters without losing much sweat.

Earlier in the day, popular singer Adnan Sami mesmerised the audience with his soulful melodies and powerful performance, creating an unforgettable musical experience in the cricketing extravaganza.

On Thursday, Srinagar Ke Veer and KVN Bangalore Strikers will lock horns in the Eliminator on Thursday. The Falcon Risers Hyderabad will face the winner of the Eliminator in the second qualifier on Friday. All matches are LIVE on Star Sports 1 (TV) and Disney+ Hotstar (OTT).

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Building on its instant growth and widespread recognition, the ISPL is proud to announce the addition of two new teams for Season 3, further expanding the tournament’s scale and grandeur.

The first two weeks in Season 2 delivered thrilling action at Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane. Amitabh Bachchan-owned Majhi Mumbai became the first team to secure a playoff spot with a dominant run of eight consecutive wins. Meanwhile, Ram Charan’s Falcon Risers Hyderabad, Akshay Kumar-owned Srinagar Ke Veer and Hrithik Roshan’s Bangalore Strikers join Mumbai as the top four teams that made it to the playoffs starting February 12^th with the finals on February 15^th.

Beyond the on-field action, ISPL has also been a star-studded entertainment spectacle, with Bollywood star Jacqueline Fernandes starring in the opening ceremony and electrifying performances each night from top artists like Mika Singh, Sonu Nigam, Jubin Nautiyal, Meet Bros among a host of others.

Suraj Samat, League Commissioner and Core Committee Member, ISPL, said: “The viewership results are a testament to our commitment to establishing ISPL as a premier platform where players not only hone their skills but also gain nationwide recognition. Our partnership with JioStar reinforces this vision, as we continue to unearth exceptional talent from the streets and provide them with a professional stage in stadiums. Season 2 has delivered an immersive broadcast experience, captivating fans with thrilling performances and high-octane action. With the introduction of DRS, speed cameras, and other innovations, we are setting new benchmarks, positioning ISPL as the next feeder line for emerging Indian talent.” 

Mallika Petkar, Head of Strategy and Business Development – JioStar – Sports, said: “ISPL celebrates the groundswell of support for cricket, expressed in the form of gali (street) Cricket. With this partnership, JioStar is committed to powering the overall cricket ecosystem by showcasing the democratised access to the game and building excitement for a wider universe of players. The talent pool for the tournament has been sourced from a nation-wide scouting program which allows brands to be activated across the thriving circuit of amateur participation and we hope to continue growing the pockets of passion every year.”

The ISPL has revolutionized the sports entertainment landscape in India, and its success story is only just beginning. With the addition of two new teams and an expanded format, the ISPL presents an exciting opportunity for new owners to join the league and be a part of its remarkable growth story.

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Bengaluru, February 12: The second season of the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) has finally reached its business end with the top four teams from the league stages gearing up for the knockouts, that starts with the first qualifier between table toppers Majhi Mumbai and second-placed Falcon Risers Hyderabad at the Dadoji Kondadev Stadium here on Wednesday.

Srinagar Ke Veer and KVN Bangalore Strikers are the two other teams to have made their way into the top four stages.

Having finished the inaugural ISPL season as the runners-up, Majhi Mumbai appeared to have approached the second season with a mission to complete unfinished business, and enjoyed a flawless run in their first eight games before a minor blip in the ninth, saw them going down to Srinagar Ke Veer. The Mumbai outfit, however, managed to get their act together in the final league stage game to eventually finish on top of the points table with nine wins out of their 10 games.

Mumbai’s march to the top of the table has been a result of collective effort from the likes of Rajat Mundhe, who finished the league stage as the second-highest run-getter with 251 runs to his name, and the pair of Abhishek Kumar Dalhor and Ankur Singh, finding themselves in the 1-2 position among the highest wicket-takers, with 19 and 15 scalps, respectively.

The trio will be expected to play a key role in the first qualifier as the winner between Majhi Mumbai and Falcon Risers Hyderabad will earn a direct ticket to the final.

Meanwhile, for the Hyderabad outfit, that has blown hot and cold through the season, and eventually ended the league stage with six wins from 10 games, the onus will be on star opener Kisan Satpute to bring his A game into play. Among their bowlers, Vicky Bhoir ended the league stage on the third place with 13 scalps, while Parveen Kumar’s 12 wickets kept them at the fifth spot.

Following the first qualifier, Srinagar and Bangalore will lock horns in the Eliminator on Thursday, with the winner taking on the loser of the first qualifier, in the second qualifier, scheduled for Friday.

All eyes will be on the in-form Sagar Ali, who has been instrumental in guiding the Srinagar side to the top four after finishing the league stage as the highest run-getter, notching up 372 runs, with a highest score of 52. Sahil Longale has been another consistent force with the ball for the Srinagar side, that finished third with five wins from 10 outings. Sahil has so far amassed 12 scalps to find himself on the fourth spot among the highest wicket-takers.

KVN Bangalore Strikers narrowly managed to make it to the top four, despite being the most inconsistent of all the other sides. While none of their batters or bowlers found themselves among the top five performers in the league stages, they will bank on the duo of Krushna Pawar and Irfan Patel to see them through to the second qualifier.

All matches are LIVE on Star Sports 1 (TV) and Disney+ Hotstar (OTT).

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Chennai’s defeat also confirmed KVN Bangalore Strikers as the fourth team in the play-offs, alongside Mumbai, Falcon Risers Hyderabad and Srinagar Ke Veer. Having registered four wins from their nine games in the season so far, Bangalore are assured of their place in the play-offs, irrespective of the outcome of their final league game against Tiigers of Kolkata on Monday.

In the play-offs, that start on Wednesday, Mumbai will face Hyderabad in the first qualifier before Bangalore lock horns with Srinagar in the Eliminator, the following day.

In between the matches, Nikhita Gandhi captivated the weekend crowd with her mesmerising voice and high-energy performance, making it an evening to remember.

Electing to field after winning the toss, Chennai were left to rue their decision as Mumbai piled on a mammoth total of 122 for 3 in their 10 overs. In reply, the Singams could only manage to post 98 for 6.

Mumbai were boosted by an unbeaten half-century by opener Mohammed Nadeem, who was the team’s top scorer on the day with 50 runs off 28 deliveries. His innings was studded with three boundaries and as many sixes. Nadeem received excellent support from his opening partner Rajat Mundhe, who scored 38 runs off 20 balls, hitting four sixes and a boundary along the way.

The duo put together an opening stand of 60 runs in just over five overs to give the Mumbai innings a rock-solid foundation.

Mohammad Zeeshan was the only Chennai bowler to taste some amount of success, returning figures of 2/15 in his two overs.

Chasing the formidable target, the Chennai batting line-up put up a brave fight as they attempted to take the fight to the rival camp with some aggressive batting. But the sheer weight of the rather daunting target proved to be a bit too much.

The jitters in the Chennai camp were evident early during their innings. The Singams were off to a poor start, losing their top order quite cheaply and were struggling at 24/3 in the fourth over.

Thereafter, Sumeet Dhekale led a strong fight back by the Singams, remaining unbeaten on 45 off 30 deliveries, powered by three boundaries and as many sixes However, that did not prove to be enough in the end.

Hyderabad beat Srinagar by 13 runs

Falcon Risers Hyderabad posted a healthy 77 for 7, revolved mainly around Aakash Jangid’s 24-ball 31 and some late order fireworks from Shreyash Kadam (11) and Sambhaji Patil (10 not out), after being asked to bat by Srinagar Ke Veer. Suvronil Roy starred for the bowling side, claiming impressive figures of 4/8 while Sahil Longale picked 2/13.

In reply, Srinagar lost in-form opener Sagar Ali for a rare duck, but fellow opener Akash Tarekar and Sanskar Dhyani steadied the ship taking calculative risks to reach 24/1 midway through their innings. However, Vishwajit Thakur (3/14) and Irfan Umair (3/13) pulled back things for the Hyderabad outfit, sharing six wickets between them to restrict Srinagar for 64/7.

On Monday, defending champions Tiigers of Kolkata will look to wrap up a rather ordinary season on a high in their face-off against KVN Bangalore Strikers. All matches are LIVE on Star Sports 1 (TV) and Disney+ Hotstar (OTT).

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In between the matches, popular singer Palak Muchhal lit up the stage with her chart-topping numbers, adding a musical charm to the cricketing extravaganza.

Mumbai virtually batted their rivals out of the game by piling up a massive total of 120/4 in their 10 overs. Abhishek Kumar Dalhor turned out be the star of the day for Mumbai, top scoring with 40 runs off just 15 deliveries before returning excellent figures of 2-9.

Electing to field after winning the toss, the Strikers were left to rue their decision as Dalhor spearheaded the Majhi Mumbai innings with a whirlwind knock to lead his team to a daunting total. Dalhor’s unbeaten innings was studded with a boundary and 3 sixes. He also hit a Niner – the second of this season.

Opener Mohammed Nadeem had earlier ensured a good start to the Mumbai innings with 23 runs off 14 balls. He received good support from fellow opener Rajat Mundhe – who scored 17 off 14 – and the duo put together a steady opening partnership of 23 runs.

Facing an intimidating target, the Strikers were off to a flying start with opener Saroj Paramanik scoring 27 runs in the very first over. However, Mumbai hit back in the next over as Paramanik was dismissed by Ankur Singh. Paramanik scored 30 runs off just nine balls, hitting 2 boundaries and 3 sixes during his brief stay at the crease.

Pradeep Patil joined Ajaz Shaikhlal Bepari in the middle and the duo added 11 runs between them before the former attempted a risky shot to gift Ankur Singh his second wicket.

With the pressure and the ever increasing required run rate piling up, Sanjay Kanojjiya and Pradeep Patil became involved in a horrible mix-up, leading to the former being run out.

The rest of the Bangalore batting line up wilted under pressure, although the lower order did try to put up a brave fight.

Srinagar pip Chennai by 7 wickets

Asked to bat, Chennai Singams rode a flying start from the in-form Jagannath Sarkar, and handy contributions from Ketan Mhatre, Venkatachalapathi Vignesh and Jignesh Patel to put up a formidable 108/6 in their 10 overs. Opening the innings, Sarkar came up with a flamboyant 45 off 19 balls, laced with a boundary and four massive sixes, and more importantly held the innings together despite losing his partners. Vignesh came up with an equally vital 13-ball 21, containing three fours and a six to provide the late-order acceleration.

For Srinagar, Sahil Longale was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 2/8, while Suvronil Roy, Prajyot Ambhire, Dilip Binjwa and Raju Mukhiya chipped in with a wicket apiece.

In response, Sagar Ali and Dilip Binjwa overcame a shaky start to propel the Srinagar side over the line with a brilliant unbeaten stand of 58 runs, 42 of which came from the 50-50 Challenge Over from Mohammed Zeeshan. Sagar, who has been in superb form throughout the season, was happy to take the back seat once Binjwa arrived in the middle and started his knock with a six. In the end, Srinagar got home with fours balls to spare as Sagar remained unbeaten on 49 off 31 balls, laced with two fours and three sixes, while Dilip went back undefeated after scoring a 10-ball 26, powered by a couple of sixes and fours.

On Friday, Falcon Risers Hyderabad will take on Tiigers of Kolkata in the first contest before Srinagar Ke Veer face Majhi Mumbai in the second match of the evening. All matches are LIVE on Star Sports 1 (TV) and Disney+ Hotstar (OTT).

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Chasing a stiff target of 88 runs, the Strikers swept past the victory post with ease, losing just one wicket along the way and 2.4 overs to spare.

Bepari was the top-scorer with 47 runs off just 28 balls. His innings included five boundaries and two sixes. Paramanik remained unbeaten on 26 runs off 16 balls, with 1 boundary and 2 sixes.

The duo made short work of the seemingly challenging target as they navigated the Chennai bowling with ease, putting together an opening stand of 83 runs.

By the time, Bepari was caught near the boundary while going for another big shot, the issue was almost decided in the Strikers’ favour.

Earlier, Sumeet Dhekale plundered 40 runs off 25 deliveries to propel Chennai Singams to a challenging total of 87/5. Dhekale’s unbeaten stay at the crease was studded with four hits to the fence.

The Singams were off to a poor start as opener Jagannath Sarkar was sent back to the dugout by Farman Khan before even a single run had been scored. With Prashant Gharat also losing his wicket in the third over, Chennai were in trouble at 16-2.

However,  Sumeet Dhekale joined Ketan Mhatre in the middle and the duo brought the innings back on track with a 28-run stand. Mhatre scored 20 runs off 18 balls and provided much needed stability at one end even as Dhekale tried to increase the run rate from the other.

In the other match of the evening, Falcon Risers Hyderabad will face Majhi Mumbai. All matches are LIVE on Star Sports 1 (TV) and Disney+ Hotstar (OTT).

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Chasing a target of 65 runs, the Singams broke little sweat as they eased across the finishing line with 2.5 overs to spare.

Opener Ketan Mhatre laid the foundation of the successful chase, blowing away the Hyderabad bowling attack with a batting blitzkrieg which saw him plunder 35 runs off a mere 12 deliveries, smashing a couple of boundaries and four towering hits into the stands along the way.

After Mhatre’s dismissal, fellow opener Jagannath Sarkar led the Chennai innings with 23 runs off 17 deliveries before Prashant Gharat brought up the victory in style with a boundary.

Earlier, electing to bowl first, Chennai saw their decision pay rich dividends almost instantly as Anurag Sarshar dismissed Prabjot Singh in the very first over.

With Liton Sarkar joining star opener Kisan Satpute at the crease, the duo started the daunting task of bringing the innings back on track and help Hyderabad recover from the disastrous start. They stitched together a partnership of 28 runs before Kisan misread the bounce of a delivery by Venkatachalapathi Vignesh only to see the lower edge crash into the stumps.

Sarkar emerged as the top scorer for the Falcons with 18 runs off 13 deliveries while Kisan got 10 off 12. Vishwajit Thakur (11) and Parveen Kumar (10) also played useful knocks lower down the order to take the Falcons to 64-9 in their 10 overs.

Mohammad Zeeshan was the most successful among the Chennai bowlers with figures of 3-13.

In the second match of the evening, Srinagar ke Veer will take on Tiigers of Kolkata. All matches are LIVE on Star Sports 1 (TV) and Disney+ Hotstar (OTT).

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Fielding first after winning the toss, Mumbai restricted Kolkata to 44/9, before overhauling the modest target quite easily with 3.2 overs to spare. Mumbai thus maintained their all-win record, having registered victories in all the six matches they have played so far.

The Mumbai innings was off to a shaky start as opener Mohammed Nadeem was sent back to the dugout with only five runs on the board. However, Rajat Mundhe – the other opener – anchored the Mumbai chase with a steady 18 runs off 15 deliveries. His calculative knock helped Mumbai bring the innings back on track and the other Mumbai batters did well to finish off the job.

Earlier, the Kolkata innings was off to a steady, albeit sluggish start. They suffered their first blow early on when Mumbai pacer Ankur Singh dismissed their opener Hardeep Singh. Moyoddin Alimuddin Shaikh joined Sarfraz Khan in the middle and the duo tried to steady the ship for Kolkata before Ankur struck again to remove the former.

The seventh over – which was a 50-50 over – turned out to be disastrous for Kolkata as they lost three wickets.

Prathamesh Thakre was the first to be dismissed. The right-hander had stepped too much towards the off-stump in an attempt to hit over the top, but Mumbai pacer Vijay Pawle uprooted the leg with an accurate full-length inswinger.

Bhavesh Pawar was run out just a ball later thanks to a horrendous mix-up before Pawle struck again to dismiss Fardeen Kazi. That knocked the wind out of the Kolkata innings as the Mumbai attack continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals.

Abhishek Kumar Dalhor was the most successful among the Mumbai bowlers with figures of 3/8.

In the other match of the evening, Srinagar ke Veer will take on KVN Bangalore Strikers. All matches are LIVE on Star Sports 1 (TV) and Disney+ Hotstar (OTT).

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Asked to bat first, Hyderabad did well to recover from a disastrous start and post a challenging total of 84/9 thanks to some excellent batting by Vishwajit Thakur – who was the top scorer with 26 runs off 19 deliveries – and Liton Sarkar, who posted a steady 15 off 16 balls.

Irfan Patel emerged as the star bowler for Bangalore with figures of 4/14. Fellow pacer Saroj Paramanik gave him excellent support from the other end with figures of 2/6.

Hyderabad ran into trouble right at the start as Irfan and Saroj claimed two wickets each in the first two overs. With the Hyderabad top order back in the dugout with only 10 runs on the board, Vishwajit and Liton began the painstaking process of bringing the innings back on track.

The duo brought up the runs at a healthy rate, producing a partnership of 46 runs before Vishwajit stepped out in an attempt to smash a Pritpal Singh delivery, only to offer an edge as for an easy catch to Saroj Paramanik.

Liton fell in the very next over while going for another risky shot as Irfan picked up another wicket.  Skipper Sambhaji Patil came up with some late fireworks to ensure a strong finish for the Hyderabad innings.

In reply, Bangalore were off to a steady start before Ajaz Shaikhlal Bepari attempted a mighty heave off Liton but only managed to offer a skier at the boundary. The Bangalore batters continued to score at a healthy rate although the Hyderabad bowlers claimed wickets at regular intervals.

With 10 runs required in the final over, pacer Irfan Umair held his nerves to restrict the batters to just three runs to spark celebrations in the Hyderabad camp.

In the other match of the evening, Majhi Mumbai will look to continue their winning momentum against Chennai Singams. All matches are LIVE on Star Sports 1 (TV) and Disney+ Hotstar (OTT).

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