32-team league backed by Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh aims to transform grassroots softball cricket across India
Bengaluru, 8 September 2026: The Indian Softball Cricket League (ISCL) on Saturday outlined an ambitious roadmap for its next phase of growth as it looks to build a structured and professional national platform for softball and tennis-ball cricketers across India.
At a press conference held at the IAS Association in Bengaluru, ISCL Founder and President Dr. Gangadhar Raju, along with the league’s leadership, highlighted the progress made since its inception and unveiled plans to strengthen its franchise, player, brand and commercial ecosystem ahead of Season 2.
Former India cricketers Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh are associated with ISCL as Brand Ambassadors, adding significant cricketing stature to a league whose central objective is to identify and provide opportunities to grassroots talent from urban, rural and remote regions of the country.
ISCL AT A GLANCE
• Format: Franchise-based softball/tennis-ball cricket
• Franchises: 32 teams
• Focus: Grassroots talent development
• Geographical Reach: Pan-India
• Founder & President: Dr. Gangadhar Raju
• Brand Ambassadors: Suresh Raina & Harbhajan Singh
• Governing Organisation: Indian Softball Cricket Foundation (ISCF)
• Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Speaking about ISCL’s potential to create opportunities for grassroots cricketers, former India off-spinner and ISCL Brand Ambassador Harbhajan Singh said: “There is tremendous cricketing talent across India, particularly at the grassroots level, but not every talented player gets the platform or exposure needed to showcase their ability. ISCL can help bridge that gap. A structured league with franchises, competitive matches and wider visibility can give these players something meaningful to aspire to. I am delighted to be associated with an initiative that wants to take the game to players across the country.”
From Karnataka to a pan-India platform
The origins of ISCL can be traced to 2024, when the Karnataka Softball Premier League (KSPL) was developed to provide structured competitive opportunities for softball cricketers across Karnataka. The experience of building KSPL subsequently became the foundation for a much larger national vision.
In 2025, the Indian Softball Cricket League was established as a national franchise-based platform, expanding the concept beyond Karnataka. The inaugural ISCL season featured 32 teams representing states and regions across India, with Punjab emerging as the Season 1 champions. The league also broadened opportunities beyond its domestic competition, including an India vs Nepal international match during the 2025 season.
Reflecting on ISCL’s journey and its plans for the future, Founder and President Dr. Gangadhar Raju said: “ISCL was born from a simple belief: talent should not be limited by geography or access. There are thousands of gifted softball and tennis-ball cricketers in cities, towns and villages who deserve an organised platform to demonstrate their skills. What began with Karnataka has now developed into a national movement with 32 franchises. Season 1 gave us tremendous confidence, and our objective now is to make Season 2 bigger, stronger and more professional while keeping grassroots players at the heart of everything we do.”
Season 2 marks the next phase of expansion
Following the successful completion of its inaugural season, ISCL has entered its next phase of development in 2026, with preparations for Season 2 focusing on strengthening its franchise ecosystem, expanding commercial and brand partnerships and increasing opportunities for players. The league’s expanding footprint was underlined by the addition of Vidarbha as a new franchise for Season 2 in June 2026.
Former IAS Officer and ISCL Board Chairman B H Anil Kumar said the league’s long-term success would be built around strong governance and a sustainable professional structure: “For any sporting property to grow sustainably, it requires credibility, transparency, professional administration and a clear long-term vision. ISCL is working towards creating that framework. Our responsibility is not merely to conduct a tournament, but to develop an ecosystem that players, franchises, partners and supporters can believe in and participate in for years to come.”
ISCL Board Vice Chairman Sanjeev Singh highlighted the importance of creating a strong connection between franchises and the communities they represent: “The franchise model gives ISCL the opportunity to create strong regional identities while being part of one national competition. We want franchises to become deeply connected with their regions, discover local talent and build their own communities of supporters. As we move into Season 2, strengthening that franchise ecosystem will be one of our major priorities.”
Building a wider sporting and commercial ecosystem
Beyond providing competitive opportunities to players, ISCL aims to create an ecosystem connecting players, franchises, fans, brands and communities through softball cricket. With its pan-India reach and grassroots positioning, the league is looking to create opportunities for businesses and brands to engage with audiences across multiple regions while supporting the development of emerging cricket talent.
Kaushik Kalluri, AVP, Sony Sports, said: “We are delighted to partner with the Indian Softball Cricket League (ISCL) as its official broadcaster for Season 2. Cricket in India has always drawn its strength from the grassroots, and ISCL provides an exciting platform for talented players from across the country to showcase their skills. At Sony Sports, we look forward to taking their stories and the competition to a wider audience and bringing fans closer to this unique format of the game.”
Noorul Ameen, Founder Director of My Asia Consulting Services, said: “Sport today is not only about what happens on the field; successful leagues create communities and sustainable ecosystems around the competition. ISCL has an interesting proposition because it combines India’s enormous passion for cricket with grassroots participation and a franchise structure. As the league expands, there is considerable potential to build meaningful partnerships between ISCL, businesses, brands and regional communities.”
ISCL believes its growth can help bring greater structure, recognition and visibility to a form of cricket that is played extensively across India but has traditionally lacked a large organised national platform.
With Season 1 providing the foundation and Season 2 representing the next stage of expansion, the league’s long-term ambition is to establish a sustainable pathway through which talented softball and tennis-ball cricketers from across the country can compete, gain recognition and represent their regions on a national stage.
