The cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar has expressed immense admiration for the escalating level of competition in the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL). He specifically highlighted three players who, in his expert opinion, truly shone throughout Season 2.
“The quality of cricket witnessed in both seasons, particularly the second, was nothing short of tremendous,” Tendulkar remarked, noting the significant improvement.
As a key member of the ISPL core committee, the former Indian captain proudly announced Abhishek Kumar Dalhor, Sagar Ali, and Vijay Pawle as his top performers for the season, commending their consistent impact and exceptional skills.
Abhishek Kumar Dalhor’s journey, in particular, was a source of great encouragement for Tendulkar.
“If I have to name players who stood out, I would say Abhishek Dalhor was there. What’s really thrilling is that he was invited for net bowling with KKR in the IPL. This shows that the ISPL isn’t just about tennis-ball cricket; it’s a genuine pathway for players to transition to professional cricket with a season ball,” Tendulkar said, stressing the importance of the platform in providing opportunities beyond tennis-ball cricket.
Representing Majhi Mumbai, Dalhor was instrumental in their championship victory, claiming 24 wickets across 12 matches at an impressive average of 7.21. His consistently game-changing bowling earned him the coveted Best Bowler of the Tournament award.
Tendulkar also highlighted Sagar Ali from Srinagar Ke Veer, commending his exceptional batting consistency. “Sagar Ali was another standout,” he remarked. “He scored runs in every single match he played last year. It’s an almost unbelievable feat given the fast-paced, shorter format of the game.”
Ali’s outstanding performance, which included accumulating 493 runs in 13 innings at an average of 61.63, was pivotal in leading his team to a runners-up position, and he was deservingly named Man of the Series.
Completing Tendulkar’s trio of top players was Majhi Mumbai captain, Vijay Pawle, whose leadership and impactful all-round contributions truly set him apart.
“Vijay Pawle delivered an exceptional all-round performance,” Tendulkar observed. His calm leadership and ability to perform under pressure were crucial to Mumbai’s triumph, highlighted by his decisive 22* off 9 balls in the final match.
“The ISPL consistently uncovers such inspiring role models,” Tendulkar concluded, emphasizing the league’s vital role in nurturing talent that can excel even beyond the traditional tennis-ball format.