As Sanjay Dutt acquires a team in All Stars Tennis Ball Cricket League, founder Bunty Walia says the actor’s faith in the format’s potential led to the decision. ASTBCL was conceptualised as a bridge between gully cricket nostalgia and stadium-style presentation
(L-R) Bunty Walia with Sanjay Dutt
Ahead of the second edition of the All-Stars Tennis Ball Cricket League (ASTBCL), Sanjay Dutt has come on board as an owner of Glenwalk Lions team. League founder Bunty Walia says that the actor’s association is the result of his faith in the new-age cricket format. Launched last year, the ASTBCL was conceptualised as a bridge between gully cricket nostalgia and stadium-style presentation. Featuring television actors and industry insiders as players, it introduced street-style rules and a faster version of the game.
Walia reveals that Dutt had attended the league last year as a guest, and it piqued his interest. “He saw the energy and competition, and asked me why I hadn’t involved him earlier. [When discussions for season two began], I asked him if he’d like to invest in a team. He said it made business sense,” recalls the founder.
Walia credits his first set of believers — the eight team captains from season one — for bringing the league to its second season. Today, it has expanded to 10 teams. He believes one of the biggest boosts came when Amitabh Bachchan attended the inaugural season matches. “His presence there was validation beyond anything I could have asked for,” he recalled, adding that while Bachchan initially planned to stay for a few minutes, he ended up watching the games for over an hour.
10
Teams in the upcoming edition of the cricket league
Feb 9-14
When the matches will stream on SonyLIV
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