In the opening match of the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui made headlines by claiming the wicket of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. Playing for team Khiladi XI, Faruqui bowled a medium pace delivery that dismissed Tendulkar for 30 runs in the 5th over of the special match, held after the ISPL opening ceremony at the Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane.
The crowd erupted with excitement as Faruqui's wide delivery outside off-stump induced Tendulkar to attempt a shot towards the fine-leg fence, resulting in a top-edge catch by Naman Ojha at gully. Faruqui further showcased his skills by taking a catch to dismiss Yusuf Pathan, who scored 21 runs off actor Prateik Babbar's bowling in the 7th over.
Despite Tendulkar and Pathan's contributions, Master's 11 managed to score 95 runs in 10 overs, losing 7 wickets in the process. Tendulkar, an investor and Core Committee Member of ISPL 2024, had partnered with J&K para cricket team captain Amir Hussain Lone at the top of the order.
Additionally, Tendulkar was spotted enjoying the festivities, dancing to the Oscar-winning song "Naatu Naatu" with team owners Akshay Kumar, Ram Charan, and Suriya.
The ISPL 2024 is a T10 cricket tournament featuring six teams owned by actors from the Hindi and South Indian film industries. The inaugural season, commencing on March 6 and concluding on March 15, will host 18 matches at the Thane stadium.
Following a round-robin format, all six participating teams will compete against each other, with the top four advancing to the semi-finals. The tournament's primary objective is to provide a platform for undiscovered cricketing talents in India, offering them a chance to display their skills before a wider audience and pursue their cricketing aspirations.