Inaugural Big Cricket League smashes viewership records
The star-studded cricket affair featured lineup of cricket legends, including Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, and Herschelle Gibbs
The inaugural season of the Big Cricket League (BCL), held from December 12 to December 22, 2024, delivered a thrilling start, racking up 16.1 million live viewers across television and digital platforms. In just 10 match days, the event saw 18 exciting T20 matches featuring a star-studded lineup of cricket legends, including Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Yusuf Pathan, Herschelle Gibbs, Imran Tahir, and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
A first-of-its-kind cricket league, BCL brought together 48 former international and first-class cricketers from around the world and 60 amateur cricketers, who were selected after trials that were conducted all over India. BCL also crossed an overall reach of 200 million across digital, print & social media platforms globally during the inaugural season.
The first edition of the league was won by Mumbai Marines, a franchise owned by prominent Supreme Court lawyer Sana Raees Khan & captained by former India pacer Irfan Pathan. Big Cricket League Season 1 also saw several amateur cricketers turn into stars, who gained nationwide attention.
Dilip Vengsarkar, Big Cricket League Commissioner, said, “The Big Cricket League is a project that aims at fulfilling dreams of those who could never get a chance to play at the highest level. The cricket was fantastic, talent on display was exceptional and the viewership numbers are a testimony to the hard work put in by the team.”
Rudra Pratap Singh, Founder & President of Big Cricket League, said “We are delighted with the viewership numbers of Big Cricket League Season 1 and the response we have received across the world. I was happy with the cricket quality & am really proud of the amateur cricketers, who went neck-to-neck with former international stars, producing top quality cricket.”
Annirudh Chauhan, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Big Cricket League, said, “The viewership numbers of Big Cricket League Season 1 are a testament to the uniqueness & brilliance of our concept, which sets it apart from other cricket leagues happening across the world. We have received a brilliant response from brands, sponsors & our broadcast partners & it gives us the impetus to make Season 2 bigger, better & blockbuster.”
Sana Raees Khan, Owner of Mumbai Marines, said, “I already expected the inaugural season of the league to be blockbuster but my team being crowned champion is like an icing on the cake. I am thrilled for the entire team, the league including & especially the local aspiring cricketers, who got a chance to rub shoulders with the likes of Irfan Pathan and other international players. Mumbai Marines stood tall against every challenge and proved that this win is for our team, our fans, and the spirit of the game. We celebrate today, but we set our sights on even greater heights! It only gets bigger from here! Onward and Upward!”
After a successful Season 1, there is an opportunity for amateur cricketers as the Big Cricket League has already started taking registrations for Season 2 and will begin trials in the month of March 2025. More popular international cricketers are expected to participate in the Season 2 of Big Cricket League.
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