The Tennis Ball Cricket Premier League (TBCPL 10) today announced its inaugural T10 tournament featuring eight franchise teams, scheduled to take place from May 26 to June 5, 2025. The tournament, which will be exclusively broadcast on Sony Sports Network, promises to bring the excitement of tennis ball cricket to millions of viewers globally. The venue for the exciting tournament shall be announced soon. The groundbreaking professional tennis ball cricket league will showcase franchises representing key Indian cities: Mumbai Mavericks, Delhi Dynamos, Bangalore Blasters, Kolkata Kings, Chandigarh Champions, Hyderabad Hunters, Ahmedabad Avengers, and Chennai Challengers.

The tournament structure includes 31 league matches followed by four playoff games, bringing the excitement of professional tennis ball cricket to a global stage. In a comprehensive talent search initiative, TBCPL 10 will conduct trials across 50 cities in India, including major centers in North, East, and Central zones, ensuring representation from every corner of the country.

The league will conduct its inaugural player auction on May 5-6, 2025, where the eight franchises will build their teams from the pool of talented players selected through the nationwide trials.

TBCPL 10 represents a revolutionary step in organizing tennis ball cricket at a professional level, bringing structure and excitement to a format that has been a beloved part of street cricket culture. This unprecedented tournament aims to transform casual tennis ball cricket into a professional sporting spectacle, backed by what industry experts are calling the world’s most sustainable cricket business model.

The announcement of cricketing legend Yuvraj Singh as Brand Ambassador marks a significant milestone for the league. The World Cup-winning all-rounder, known for his explosive batting and match-winning performances, brings his vast experience and passion for cricket development to TBCPL 10.

“I am thrilled to be part of this historic moment in cricket. I remember earning Rs 50 (Dh214) as a kid after hitting five sixes in an over playing tennis ball cricket,” said Yuvraj Singh, while speaking  about the league’s ‘phenomenal potential’ at the kickoff event in Dubai. “TBCPL 10 is the first tournament to bring professional tennis ball cricket talents from so many Indian cities simultaneously. Now, we’re elevating this format to a professional level across multiple cities. It’s a dream come true for many aspiring cricketers who will now have a platform to showcase their talent.”

Key league stakeholder Mohit Joon of TBC pvt ltd., emphasized the unprecedented scale of the tournament: “TBCPL 10 is making history as the first professional tennis ball cricket league to endorse talents simultaneously across eight major Indian locations. With trials planned in 50 cities, we’re creating the most extensive talent scouting network in tennis ball cricket history. Having Yuvraj Singh on board adds tremendous value to our vision, and our partnership with Sony Sports Network ensures the widest possible reach for this exciting format. We’re confident that this tournament will revolutionize tennis ball cricket as an important cricketing avenue to be perceived and played well.”

League promoter Naresh Pawar, lauded this innovative initiative by sharing “The launch of TBCPL 10 marks a landmark moment in T10 sports. Our sustainable business model sets new standards in cricket administration and commercial viability. Never before has tennis ball cricket been organized at this scale across so many cities. This tournament unlike many others will bridge the gap between street cricket and professional sports, creating new opportunities for talents across the country. We are particularly excited about the tournament’s potential to discover hidden gems from every corner of these cities.”

The DP World ILT20 is turning up the excitement for fans with a golden treat at the DP World ILT20 raffle. As part of the initiative, three lucky fans at each match take home a 6-gram gold coin, courtesy of Joyalukkas.

Purchased tickets will automatically double up as a raffle entry once scanned, with winners selected randomly during the match. So far, nine winners have emerged from the first three matches, adding an extra layer of thrill to the viewing experience.

With the month-long spectacle in full swing and gold coins up for grabs, cricket lovers have every reason to take part in the festivities.

Viewers have already been treated to high-octane action at the opening weekend of the DP World ILT20 Season 3, with two out of three matches going down the wire. The weekend also kicked off with a grand ceremony where Bollywood superstars Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, and Sonam Bajwa set the stage ablaze with dazzling performances.

Notably, the DP World ILT20 ‘s six franchises feature some of the world’s finest cricketers, including Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates), Sikandar Raza (Dubai Capitals), Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Lockie Ferguson (Desert Vipers), James Vince (Gulf Giants), Tim Southee (Sharjah Warriorz), David Warner (Dubai Capitals), Jason Holder (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Shimron Hetmyer (Gulf Giants), Phil Salt (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sharjah Warriorz), Sam Curran (Desert Vipers), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Dubai Capitals), Tim David (Gulf Giants), Fazalhaq Farooqi (MI Emirates), Adil Rashid (Sharjah Warriorz), Fakhar Zaman (Desert Vipers), Roston Chase (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Matthew Wade (Sharjah Warriorz), Ibrahim Zadran (Gulf Giants), Alex Hales (Desert Vipers), Sherfane Rutherford (Desert Vipers), Rovman Powell (Dubai Capitals), and Chris Jordan (Gulf Giants).

The DP World ILT20 launched in spectacular fashion at the Dubai International Stadium today. The star-studded trio of Bollywood superstars Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, and Sonam Bajwa headlined a blockbuster opening ceremony as fans packed the iconic ‘Ring of Fire’ for the double-entertainment offer – opening ceremony and the tournament opener – for the region’s premier T20 tournament.

The festivities culminated in a stunning fireworks display signaling the start of the season. Bollywood actor-producer Jackky Bhagnani and popular host Ridhima Pathak kept the crowd engaged as emcees for the evening.

Following the opening ceremony, anticipation soared for the season opener that will see Dubai Capitals host defending champions, MI Emirates in a thrilling rematch of last year’s final. The opening ball of the season was bowled at 7:30pm local time with MI Emirates winning the toss and choosing to bowl first.

Audiences from around the world can catch the action live on the Zee Network and its syndication partners through both linear and digital platforms.

Zee Network’s most widely distributed and viewed 15 linear TV channels include: &Pictures SD, &Pictures HD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Anmol Cinema 2, Zee Action, Zee Biskope, Zee Zest SD, Zee Cinemalu HD, Zee Telugu HD, Zee Thirai, Zee Tamil HD, Zee Kannada HD, Zee Zest HD, &Flix SD and &Flix HD. The DP World ILT20 is also free to view on one of India’s leading OTT platforms – ZEE5.

Furthermore, fans can take advantage of an incredible offer for matchdays from Sunday, 12 January onwards—four tickets for just AED 40, available exclusively in the general category, and a final and limited release of tickets for fans, with 25% off on all Pavilion and Platinum tickets.

The month-long cricket fest will see some of the world’s finest cricketers in action, including Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates), Sikandar Raza (Dubai Capitals), Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Lockie Ferguson (Desert Vipers), James Vince (Gulf Giants), Tim Southee (Sharjah Warriorz), David Warner (Dubai Capitals), Jason Holder (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Shimron Hetmyer (Gulf Giants), Phil Salt (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sharjah Warriorz), Sam Curran (Desert Vipers), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Dubai Capitals), Tim David (Gulf Giants), Fazalhaq Farooqi (MI Emirates), Adil Rashid (Sharjah Warriorz), Fakhar Zaman (Desert Vipers), Roston Chase (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Matthew Wade (Sharjah Warriorz), Ibrahim Zadran (Gulf Giants), Alex Hales (Desert Vipers), Sherfane Rutherford (Desert Vipers), Rovman Powell (Dubai Capitals), and Chris Jordan (Gulf Giants).