The debut of the Indian Pickleball League (IPBL 2025) on Dec 1, 2025, turned the heat up in Delhi’s winter. Inside the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall, the atmosphere remained electric throughout the week — applause for the fast-growing sport never paused. A total of six teams, inclduing Mumbai Smashers, Bengaluru Blasters, Chennai Super Warriors, Gurgaon Capital Warriors, Hyderabad Royals, and Lucknow Leopards including battled fiercely in India’s first and only national franchise-based pickleball league, launched by The Times Group and sanctioned by the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA). Fast-paced rallies, sharp reactions, and high-pressure moments ensured the audience remained completely absorbed, point after point.
The week-long thrilling action culminated in a Mumbai Smashers vs Hyderabad Royals finale that kept spectators on the edge of their seats until the final serve. Nazara Technologies’ acquisition of the Mumbai franchise through its subsidiary Absolute Sports has proven to be a strategic masterstroke. The team closed the season by becoming the inaugural champions of the Indian Pickleball League — a landmark moment for both the franchise and the sport’s rise in the country.
The Mumbai Smashers, not only stormed into the IPBL final but also clinched a nail-biting 5–1 win against the Hyderabad Royals on Sunday, December 7, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. In their debut season, the Mumbai team has emerged as one of the league’s most dynamic and closely watched sides, elevating Nazara’s presence in an emerging sport that is growing at a meteoric pace globally.
Pickleball’s surge in popularity has been as much a lifestyle shift as a sports phenomenon. The league raised the bar from the start of the tournament, as it was led by a strong line up of international talents, including World No. 3 Quang Duong, Megan Fudge, Phuc Huynh, Pei Chuan Kao, Jack Munro, Roos Van Reek, Mitchell Hargreaves, and Emilia Schmidt. Indian athletes who delivered with equal intensity include, Aditya Ruhela, Shreya Chakraborty, Rakshikha Ravi, Stavya Bhasin, and Snehal Patil earned roaring support from the stands.
Renowned film starts including Malavika Mohanan, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Sonam Bajwa, Kriti Kharbanda, Nitanshi Goel, and Harshvardhan Rane added star presence courtside — making the event a high-energy crossover between sport and entertainment. The league’s five style-savvy ambassadors added flair off-court: Nikita Porwal (Femina Miss India World 2024) for Hyderabad Royals, Vaishnavi Sharma (Femina Miss India Rajasthan 2024) for Gurgaon Capital Warriors, Aayushi Dholakia (Femina Miss India 2024 Second Runner Up) for Lucknow Leopards, Akshatha Das (Femina Miss India Kerala 2024) for Bengaluru Blasters, and Pragnya Ayyagari (Miss Supranational Asia 2023) for Chennai Super Warriors.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta formally launched the league, and Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju attended the closing ceremony — a nod to the growing recognition that pickleball is no longer emerging quietly.
Globally, the sport is projected to grow from USD 1.5 billion in 2023 to USD 4.4 billion by 2033. India mirrors this trajectory, with a 159% surge in participation between 2019 and 2022 and rapid adoption across sports complexes, fitness centres, and corporate recreation spaces. Pickleball courts are fast becoming a key amenity for active communities.
The Indian Pickleball League has already proven instrumental in accelerating India’s entry into this fast-growing sports economy. With top-tier production, a structured team format, and aspirational brand positioning, the league appeals to audiences of all ages and offers strong commercial potential for partners. For corporates, IPBL presents an entryway into a sports ecosystem where online fandom, live experiences, merchandise, and community engagement converge.
IPBL 2025 also achieved a global broadcast milestone, becoming the first pickleball league worldwide to be telecast on broadcast television. Times Network expanded its dedicated pickleball channel — Pickleball Now — to audiences across India and international markets. Coverage spanned Mirror NOW, Zoom TV, DD Sports, and various digital platforms including Times Play, JioTV, Airtel Xstream, DailyHunt, and OTT Play, along with international access across BOTIM, Distro, YuppTV, and Rumble, with further expansions planned in the US, MENA, ANZ, and the UK.
The Times Group Managing Director Vineet Jain, expressing confidence in the league’s success, reiterated his resolve that we are fully committed to our mission of making pickleball the second most popular sport after cricket in India.
Nitish Mittersain, CEO of Nazara Technologies, said that pickleball “fits right” with the spirit of Mumbai. “Mumbai thrives on speed, skill, and competition. Pickleball fits right in, and we’re excited to champion the city in a league built for the future,” he said, while celebrating the Smashers’ smashing performance.
With exclusive rights to the Mumbai franchise, Nazara’s Absolute Sports is overseeing everything from the team’s brand and digital presence to athlete marketing and fan engagement. As noted in the BSE filing, the franchise agreement is between Absolute Sports and PWR Indian League and Tour Private Ltd.
Pickleball’s rapid expansion across India from universities and community clubs to fitness centres and corporate hubs has positioned it as one of the most accessible and inclusive sports in the nation. Sports leaders strongly believe pickleball is on track to become a true mass sport, cutting across age groups, cities, and skill levels.
