Ahead of the second edition of the All-Stars Tennis Ball Cricket League (ASTBCL), Sanjay Dutt has come on board as an owner of Glenwalk Lions team. League founder Bunty Walia says that the actor’s association is the result of his faith in the new-age cricket format. Launched last year, the ASTBCL was conceptualised as a bridge between gully cricket nostalgia and stadium-style presentation. Featuring television actors and industry insiders as players, it introduced street-style rules and a faster version of the game.

Walia reveals that Dutt had attended the league last year as a guest, and it piqued his interest.  “He saw the energy and competition, and asked me why I hadn’t involved him earlier. [When discussions for season two began], I asked him if he’d like to invest in a team. He said it made business sense,” recalls the founder.