Kolkata: The Indian Softball Cricket League (ISCL) opened its second season, unveiling a national competition nearly triple the size of its debut edition: 32 teams and 127 matches spanning the countryThe announcement came at a press event in Bengaluru attended by cricketing icons, league officials, and the organization’s newest commercial partners.
“Two years ago, we were just trying to get people to take softball cricket seriously,” said DrGangadhar Raju, Founder and President of ISCL and the Indian Softball Cricket Foundation (ISCF)“Now we have 32 teams and players from towns most people can’t find on a mapThat’s the story of Season 2, it’s not about us anymore, it’s about how far the players have pushed this.”
Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh, who joins fellow international Cricketer Suresh Raina as a Brand Ambassador for the new season, spoke about what drew him to the roleHe spoke about the scale of opportunity the expanded format creates, telling the gathering that a bigger league means more young players get a chance at being seenSomething he said which is close to his heart.
The league also confirmed its broadcast and commercial lineup for the seasonSony Sports Network comes onboard a Official Broadcasting Partner, putting ISCL matches in front of a International/National television audience for the first time at this scaleScreenox joins as Official Screening Partner, showcasing ISCL in more than 1500 screens across the countryMyAsia comes in as a Strategy Partner, tasked with helping ISCL grow into a International League as well as a commercially robust sporting property.
“For us at Sony Sports Network, partnerships are about more than just putting a game on televisionISCL has a unique story because it comes from the grassroots and gives players an opportunity to showcase their talent on a bigger platformWith Season 2 growing significantly, we’re excited to be part of this journey and help take the sport to a much wider audienceWe hope that our association with ISCL will bring greater visibility to the players, the teams and the game itself, while encouraging more young cricketers across the country to believe that there is a place for them in the sport,” said Kaushik Kalluri, AVP-Sony Sports.
BHAnil Kumar, a former IAS officer and Chairman ISCL Pvt Ltd, and Vice Chairman Sanjeev Singh both addressed the media on the league’s plans for professional growth and expansion into new regionsNoorul Ameen, representing MyAsia, laid out the strategic and commercial thinking behind the partnership, framing it as a long-term bet on softball cricket’s growth in India rather than a one-season sponsorship.
Taken together, the expanded team count, the International/National broad cast tieup, and new partnerships mark ISCL’s clearest step yet toward becoming a mainstream property in India’s crowded sporting calendar, one built, organizers say, on the same grassroots talent pipeline that got the league here in the first place.
