National, August 8, 2026:
The penultimate day of the league stage of Season 3 of the JetSynthesys’
Global e-Cricket Premier League (GEPL) witnessed exciting action with Sara
Tendulkar-owned Mumbai Grizzlies thrashing defending champions Chennai
Falcons to rise to the second spot while Nikhil Kamath’s Bengaluru
Badgers kept their chances alive by winning a last-ball thriller against Sonu
Nigam’s Kolkata Hawks even as Peyush Bansal-owned Delhi Sharks
continued to rule the roost at the top of the standings.
Season 3 marks the biggest edition of GEPL yet, expanding
from six to eight franchise teams with a marquee ownership line-up. Played
on Real Cricket™, which has crossed 400 million lifetime downloads, the
league carries a ₹3.1 crore prize pool and is being broadcast live on Star
Sports Select and Star Sports Khel, streamed on JioHotstar, while also
making its international debut across the United States and Canada through
Willow TV, via Willow Sports (its FAST platform) and Willow's
direct-to-consumer platforms in both markets.
The Sharks have 18 points from 12 games, two more than the
Grizzlies. Chennai Falcons are also on 16 points but trail last season’s
runners-up Mumbai by Net Run-rate (NRR). The day also witnessed the elimination
of Pune Stallions, Gujarat Wolves and Hyderabad Rhinos from the race to
the playoffs.
In the opening match of the day, skipper Mukesh Dodwani
produced an impressive all-round performance to help Hyderabad Rhinos Mumbai
Grizzlies a four-wicket defeat. Batting first, Mumbai posted 70/2 in their five
overs, with Jetha top-scoring with an unbeaten 24 off 11 balls.
Amit Mehta’s Hyderabad made a strong start to the chase,
with Sachin smashing 28 off 11 before he was caught while attempting another
big shot. His dismissal, however, did little to slow down the Rhinos as Mukesh
stayed till the end, scoring an unbeaten 38 to guide his side to a comfortable
victory. Mukesh also picked up a wicket with the ball and was named Player of
the Match for his all-round contribution.
The second game of the day produced a major upset as Sonu
Nigam-owned Kolkata Hawks stunned league leaders Peyush Bansal-owned
Delhi Sharks by 50 runs to strengthen their position in the top four.
Batting first, Kolkata posted the tournament's highest total of 89/2,
with Aditya leading the charge with a sensational unbeaten 58 off just 15
balls. He took the Delhi bowling apart with a power-packed display and signed
off the innings in style with a six. Aditya then completed a superb all-round
performance with the ball, claiming two wickets as Kolkata restricted the
league leaders to 39.
The third match of the day produced a thrilling finish as
bottom-placed Pune Stallions edged past Scout’s Gujarat Wolves by three
wickets. The Suniel Shetty-owned Pune's chase was set up by Koli, who smashed
31 off 12 balls, while Ankit chipped in with 22 off eight.
The fourth match of the day produced another thrilling
finish, with defending champions Chennai Falcons edging past Bengaluru Badgers
by two wickets to stay among the top four. Chasing, Deepak smashed an unbeaten
40 off just 15 balls and held the innings together despite losing wickets at
regular intervals. With nine runs needed from the final two balls, Player of
the match Deepak delivered under pressure, smashing a six followed by a
four to seal a dramatic victory for Chennai.
Already out of playoff contention, Pune Stallions registered
their second win of the day with a clinical five-wicket victory over Hyderabad
Rhinos, ending their playoff hopes. After restricting Hyderabad to 66/3, with
skipper Mukesh anchoring the innings with a 44 off 16 balls, Pune made light
work of the chase. Openers Sagar (24 not out of 8 balls) and Player of the
Match Anuradh Koli (43 not out of 17 balls) stayed unbeaten to guide the
Stallions home comfortably and complete a dominant day for Pune.
The next match, which was being billed as the 'El Classico'
of the league, turned out to be an anticlimax as Sara Tendulkar’s Mumbai
Grizzlies outclassed defending champions Chennai Falcons by four wickets.
The Mumbai bowlers dominated the contest, restricting the Falcons to 43/4
before their openers Jetha (16 off 9 balls) and Davinder Singh (29 not out of
12 balls) batted the Falcons out of the game.
The last contest of the day saw Bengaluru Badgers survive a
thriller against Sonu Nigam’s Kolkata Hawks, securing a dramatic one-run
win off the final delivery. Batting first, Bengaluru posted 65/4, powered by
skipper and Player of the Match Manmeet Singh’s 34 off 13 balls. Kolkata
appeared to be on course for victory after losing their first wicket off the opening
ball, with Golden Kumar smashing an unbeaten 43 off 17 to keep the chase alive.
However, Bengaluru held their nerve in a tense final over to restrict the Hawks
to 64/3 and seal a win by the barest of margins.
Standings after Day 7:
|
Rank |
Team |
Matches |
Won |
Lost |
NRR |
Points |
|
1 |
Delhi Sharks |
12 |
9 |
3 |
0.94 |
18 |
|
2 |
Mumbai Grizzlies |
13 |
8 |
5 |
2.34 |
16 |
|
3 |
Chennai Falcons |
12 |
8 |
4 |
-0.23 |
16 |
|
4 |
Kolkata Hawks |
12 |
7 |
5 |
0.56 |
14 |
|
5 |
Bengaluru Badgers |
11 |
6 |
5 |
-0.38 |
12 |
|
6 |
Pune Stallions |
12 |
4 |
8 |
-0.58 |
8 |
|
7 |
Gujarat Wolves |
12 |
3 |
9 |
-1.45 |
6 |
|
8 |
Hyderabad Rhinos |
12 |
3 |
9 |
-1.47 |
6 |
Coming up
on Day 8:
●
Hyderabad Rhinos vs Bengaluru
Badgers
●
Bengaluru Badgers vs Delhi Sharks
●
Gujarat Wolves vs Kolkata Hawks
●
Delhi Sharks vs Hyderabad Rhinos
●
Mumbai Grizzlies vs Pune Stallions
●
Kolkata Hawks vs Chennai Falcons
●
Bengaluru Badgers vs Pune Stallions
●
Chennai Falcons vs Gujarat Wolves
Watch the
matches live on JioHotstar every day from 4:00
PM to 10:00 PM:
https://www.hotstar.com/in/sports/esports/tournaments/global-e-cricket-premier-league
Catch the highlights from Match Day 7 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP9xDx9Qlw8
About GEPL:
The Global e-Cricket Premier League (GEPL), launched by
JetSynthesys, is the World's Only Franchise-Based E-Cricket League, bridging
the gap between cricket, esports, and entertainment. The league offers a unique
platform for aspiring athletes to showcase their talent while engaging millions
of fans across India and beyond.
About JetSynthesys:
JetSynthesys is a global leader in digital entertainment and
technology, specialising in video gaming & esports, and creators &
experiences. With a reach spanning 180 countries and millions of users,
JetSynthesys is committed to building innovative ecosystems where technology,
video gaming, and entertainment converge. Founded in 2014 by Rajan Navani,
JetSynthesys continues to redefine digital experiences while championing
inclusivity and engagement across its platforms.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Noel D'souza
noel.dsouza@adfactorspr.com | +91 7506054306
Aaryaman Singh
aaryaman.singh@adfactorspr.com | +91 7021046411