Mumbai: As India prepares to host England in a five-match T20I series starting 22 January Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar have launched ‘SKYball’, its campaign film for the T20I series featuring India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
The campaign film celebrates Suryakumar Yadav and his team’s penchant for explosive batting, and capitalises on the idea that T20 cricket is best enjoyed when the white ball flies around the ground and runs freely flow. The concept fits perfectly as both India and England are packed with power-hitters. The series promises to be a run-fest as England’s much talked about Bazball approach, under coach Brendon McCullum, battles SKYball for supremacy.
Set in the mission control room of a space agency, the campaign film takes a quirky approach, showing the sight of blazing cricket balls hurtling towards the moon at the speed of light. The film quickly makes it apparent that this is a metaphor to the big-hitting abilities of players from both the sides. As the film progresses, a scientist pleads with Suryakumar Yadav to spare the moon from SKYball – his big-hitting prowess and love for smashing huge sixes. Soon after, few other warning sirens go off as more cricket balls are seen going past the station, this time from the willow of English players. The film ends with Yadav pulling out his bat and aiming towards the moon saying, “Sorry guys. Moon, see you soon!”, thus setting the stage for a lip-smacking contest between two of the world’s top-rated T20I nations.
“Every time we take the field, we are always looking to push the boundaries that help aim consistently for the moonshot. This rivalry has been among the most iconic and competitive ones for decades now, and even more so for the fans who are looking forward to witnessing some exciting cricket in our backyard,” said Suryakumar Yadav, India T20I Captain and the protagonist of the film.
“The campaign is a tribute to how the Blues, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, have taken power-hitting to a new high. Add the English power-hitters into the mix, and a sumptuous buffet of sixes is about to be served,” said Vikram Passi, Head of Marketing – Sports, JioStar.
The five-match T20I series begins on 22 January at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. The ODI series will commence on 6 February at VCA Stadium in Nagpur. In addition to being the first home series of 2025, the contests also serves as a litmus test for India ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
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