NATIONAL: As Season 3 of the JetSynthesys’ Global e-Cricket Premier League (GEPL) heads towards the business end, every point has become crucial. Day 6 delivered some of the closest contests of the tournament, as Peyush Bansal-owned Delhi Sharks cemented their spot at the top of the leaderboard with the biggest win of the season so far against defending champions Chennai Falcons.
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 – who won both their matches – humiliated the Falcons by 55 runs to take their tally to 18 points from 11 games. Sara Tendulkar’s Mumbai Grizzlies had a mixed outing but ensured the second spot with 14 points from 11 matches. Third placed Falcons, who have played 10 matches, are also on 14 points, but trail the Grizzlies on net run rate.
Nikhil Kamath-owned Bengaluru Badgers brought the fans onto their feet by pulling off a dramatic one-run win over Gujarat Wolves in a last-over thriller in the opening match of the day.
After being asked to bat, Bengaluru Badgers posted a competitive 70/2, with Rituraj providing a brisk start with a 17 off just five balls before Player of the Match Soumyadipta Biswas anchored the innings with an unbeaten 29 off 15 deliveries. Scout’s Gujarat Wolves fought hard in the chase but were restricted to 69/2, as Bengaluru held their nerve to seal a thrilling one-run victory and collect two crucial points.
The second match of the day produced another thrilling contest as Suniel Shetty-owned Pune Stallions and Sonu Nigam-owned Kolkata Hawks battled to break free from the mid-table logjam. Asked to bat, Pune looked set for a massive total after Sagar (39 off 15) and Koli (29 off 10) stitched together a 69-run opening stand in just four overs. However, Player of the Match Shubhankar turned the game on its head in the final over with the tournament’s fourth hat-trick, helping Kolkata restrict Pune to 70/4. Chasing 71, the Hawks held their nerve in a tense finish, with Aman (21 off 9), Golden Kumar (32 off 13) and Jayesh (15 off 7) producing vital knocks to seal a dramatic three-wicket victory off the final ball.
The third match of the day gave Gujarat Wolves the perfect opportunity to bounce back, and they grabbed it with a convincing three-wicket win over Amit Mehta-owned Hyderabad Rhinos. Batting first, Hyderabad posted a competitive 67/2, with Sachin (18), Mukesh (24) and Manish (22) making useful contributions. Gujarat made light work of the chase as Player of the Match Vikas smashed 39 off just 13 balls, while JD Bairad hammered 22 off seven deliveries in a blistering 60-run opening stand. Vishal and Razin then completed the chase in style to hand the Wolves an important victory.
The fourth match of the day saw Delhi Sharks climb to the top of the leaderboard with a four-wicket victory over Sara Tendulkar-owned Mumbai Grizzlies. Player of the Match Akshat starred with an all-round performance, claiming two wickets before smashing 37 off just 14 balls to lead Delhi’s chase. The skipper was well supported by Rohan (19 off 7) and Phani Kiran (18 off 8) as the Sharks chased down 73 in style.
Sonu Nigam’s Kolkata Hawks completed their second win of the day with a dominant five-wicket victory over Hyderabad Rhinos in the fifth match. After bowling the Rhinos out for a paltry 34 in just 4.2 overs, the Kolkata side made light work of the chase, with opener and Player of the match Aditya blasting 34 off only 12 balls to seal the win with 16 balls to spare. The defeat left Hyderabad Rhinos’ playoff hopes hanging by a thread.
Sara Tendulkar’s Mumbai Grizzlies bounced back strongly in their second match of the day, registering a comfortable three-wicket win over Bengaluru Badgers. Bhupendra laid the foundation with an impressive spell of 2/5 as Mumbai restricted Bengaluru to a modest 50/3, with Rituraj (21) and Manmeet Singh (16 off 9) the only notable contributors. Chasing 51, Player of the Match Jetha Ram anchored the innings with an unbeaten 36 off 16 balls as the Grizzlies cruised to victory in the sixth contest of the day.
A massive surprise was in store for the fans in the seventh game, a top of the table clash between league leaders Peyush Bansal-owned Delhi Sharks and second placed Chennai Falcons as the former dominated with both bat and ball to humiliate the defending champions by 55 runs.
Batting first, Delhi scored 69/3 before bundling out Chennai for 14 runs. Delhi openers Akshat and Rohan gave the Sharks a promising start with some big hits early on before the former offered a skier in the deep. Rohan continued to go after the Chennai bowling to put Delhi in good stead before Nadeem took two wickets in the final over to deny a strong finish for the Sharks.
The Chennai chase had a nightmarish start as Delhi spinner Chetan left them reeling at 3/2 after the opening over. Phani Kiran picked up another two wickets in the second over to virtually knock Chennai out of the game. A Delhi win was only a matter of time from there on.
Standings after Day 6:
| Rank | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | NRR | Points |
| 1 | Delhi Sharks | 11 | 9 | 2 | 1.96 | 18 |
| 2 | Mumbai Grizzlies | 11 | 7 | 4 | 2.4 | 14 |
| 3 | Chennai Falcons | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0.15 | 14 |
| 4 | Kolkata Hawks | 10 | 6 | 4 | -0.37 | 12 |
| 5 | Bengaluru Badgers | 9 | 5 | 4 | -0.44 | 10 |
| 6 | Gujarat Wolves | 11 | 3 | 8 | -1.54 | 6 |
| 7 | Pune Stallions | 10 | 2 | 8 | -1 | 4 |
| 8 | Hyderabad Rhinos | 10 | 2 | 8 | -1.65 | 4 |
Coming up on Day 7:
- Hyderabad Rhinos vs Mumbai Grizzlies,
- Delhi Sharks vs Kolkata Hawks
- Gujarat Wolves vs Pune Stallions
- Chennai Falcons vs Bengaluru Badgers
- Pune Stallions vs Hyderabad Rhinos
- Mumbai Grizzlies vs Chennai Falcons
- Kolkata Hawks vs Bengaluru Badgers
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 6 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT7Bwm183jk
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.
