Former Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar turns 42

April 24, 2015

Mumbai, Apr 24: Iconic former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar turned 42 on Friday.

The batting maestro had bid adieu to the game just over 16 months ago.

Tendulkar

His emotional farewell at the Wankhede Stadium here at the conclusion of the 2013 India-West Indies Test series is still fresh in his admirers' mind.

Though Tendulkar has ended his on-field journey, he continues to attract attention with his insights and comments about the game that he adorned for nearly a quarter century.

Tendulkar, whose autobiography 'Playing It My Way' was released to tremendous response in November last year, was the Brand Ambassador of the ICC World Cup held in the Antipodes in February-March.

Now a co-owner of Indian Super League football franchise Kerala Blasters, cricket's most prolific run maker and compiler of a staggering 100 international hundreds will be in here today to celebrate his birthday, a day before MI's next home game against Sun Risers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium.

Saturday's match has been earmarked for Reliance Foundation's Education For All initiative and is expected to be watched by Tendulkar and 28,000 children for whom the game has been earmarked.

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News Network
March 22,2024

IPL.jpg

The start of the world’s most lucrative cricket tournament in India is presenting investors with another big opportunity to cash in on the sport, months after the world’s most populous nation hosted the Cricket World Cup.

The eight-week long Indian Premier League begins March 22 for its 17th season. Since its inception, the fast-paced cricket tournament has become a corporate juggernaut to rival the National Football League in the US and the English Premier League in value.

Just as October’s Cricket World Cup boosted consumption in India for months, fans are expected to flock to restaurants, pubs and food delivery platforms over the duration of the tournament. This year’s IPL also coincides with general elections that will last for six weeks starting April 19, a period when companies are expecting higher food and drink sales as people flock to rallies and other events.

“There’s going to be a lot of spending,” said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda. “IPL, as well as the election, gives a three-month corridor with enhanced economic activity.”

Stocks in India such as McDonald’s franchise operator Westlife Foodworld Ltd. and peer Sapphire Foods India Ltd. gained ahead of the first match on Friday, as well as hotels and beverage makers. Packaged-food companies could also stand to benefit from the IPL craze, said Sachil Bobade, an analyst at investment firm Dolat Capital Market.

The IPL ecosystem was valued at $11 billion (Rs 91,721 crores) in 2023, including the value of media rights and sponsorships, according to Indian valuation consulting firm D&P Advisory.

The league is also attracting record sums of money from sponsors and broadcasters. Conglomerate Tata Group won the title sponsorship rights of the tournament in January for a record 25 billion rupees ($300 million). Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s media venture secured the digital streaming rights in 2022 for five years for $2.7 billion, while Walt Disney Co. paid roughly the same for TV rights.

“There was a serious amount of bidding even this year,” said Vinit Karnik, head of entertainment, esports and sports at media agency GroupM South Asia. “I see growth in IPL in double digits year-on-year,” he adds.

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