Teams who played their Kanga Cricket League knockout games on Sunday were treated to a special surprise by T20 Mumbai, who presented them customized cricket whites. Humbled and appreciative of that gesture of T20 Mumbai, the young cricketers also expressed their excitement for the second season of Mumbai’s own T20 league, seeing this as an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the city’s finest cricket talents.

“I attended a couple of games in the first season of T20 Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium. It was a great learning experience to watch all the established Mumbai cricketers play,” recalled Yash Kripal, a player for the Merry Youngsters team. “This league has given budding cricketers an opportunity to play at the highest level and one day I too would like to play for T20 Mumbai one day.”

Mrudul Mhatre, another club level cricketer playing for Madhukar G.Vartak Memorial SC, is optimistic for a break in T20 Mumbai to kickstart his professional sporting career. “T20 Mumbai is a good platform I believe; and I’m given a chance to play there then it will open the gates for the Indian Premier League and Ranji Trophy as well.”

Fellow player Akash, representing Friends Sports Club, echoed the same, and highlighted the opportunity and the pathway the league provides.

“I would really like to be selected for T20 Mumbai as it gives us a platform to perform and get selected for bigger tournaments,” he said citing the example of Shivaji Park Lions pick Shivam Dube. “He performed in the final; and he hit five sixes in an over so he got selected to play for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.”

For many kids playing in the lower echelons of the cricketing ladder, T20 Mumbai league represents an ideal stepping stone, with many aspiring to play in the league to help build onto bigger and better things.